Chapter sixteen- The Truth?
I was officially on the search for the truth. Who was this “Adam Deathbringer,” and what did Malistaire Drake want? The morning I woke up after the dream, I was in no mood to play. I was serious business.
I thought up a plan. This weekend, Richard, Abigail, and I will sneak into the library and steal not only books about Malistaire, but the book of Adam Deathbringer. There had to be answers…
Christmas was approaching, and I didn’t want to spoil Abigail and Richard’s joyful moods. I sulked quietly along them as they chatted, barely hanging onto a thread of hidden secrecy. I ignored their chatter, and found myself in a fantasy world of thought. What was it that the Book of Adam Deathbringer, “The Golden Age”, contain? Surely it could have answers, but maybe not all of them. Would a book such as his have information about my nightmares? About Malistaire Drake’s words visibly burned across my eyes, for him to be surprised that my body and mind was alive?
What if he tried to kill me before?
Now I was thinking nonsense. Malistaire never knew me before Golem Court, so why should he try to kill me? It would have been everywhere. On the newspapers, in books, perhaps it would be famously introduced as history that a little girl lived through Malistaire Drake. Nobody lived through him. Everybody I knew would be dead.
So that leaves attempt of murder out of the picture.
And then there were my mother’s strange letters. Maybe she is in trouble? Who were the letters made out to; I have an idea for that. My mother knows the Headmaster, maybe she was writing a letter to him? To and old friend? A relative? Anything but-
Oh god. A sudden idea came into my mind. What if she was writing a suicidal letter?
No, probably not. Why would she do that, if Sabrina had finally gotten to like her?
But I found the letters before Sabrina forgave her.
So what were they meant for?
What was I supposed to do?
The Golden Age book probably knew none of these answers, so I looked towards the actual facts that might be in the book. Malistaire Drake was in Golem Court for a reason still being investigated, and the book has nothing to do to with whatever crime Malistaire wanted to commit that morning, since it was probably written a long time ago.
In fact, what was the Golden Age book about? Dragons, spells, history, anything that Malistaire Drake didn’t want anybody to know? How old was the book?
I heard noises outside my head, but I was too in thought to notice. Questions and impossible answers kept forming, twirling around in my head like a destructive tornado, throwing away any evidence of knowledge.
What do I do?
“Hellooo? Anybody there?” I saw a pale hand wave across my face, and I blinked.
“W-What?” I cleared my throat and tried to look focused, but Abby didn’t buy it. I looked around. “Where did Richard go?”
“Don’t look so innocent, Ms. Far-Away-From-Us-Girl. Didn’t you hear the bell ring? We have to go. Richard already left, smarty.”
“Oh?” I heard no bell at all. I wonder when it rang, and how long I was unfocused. “Thanks for reminding me. How much time do I have until class starts?”
“Uh.” Abby looked at her black and skulled wristwatch. “Eh, about a minute.”
“A minute! Oh lord, I’m going to be late! Detention! My mom will kill me!” I panicked. Suddenly, I forgot where my Balance class was.
“Dude-ette.” Abby smirked. “Didn’t you know we are having an assembly?”
“A what?”
“Something about Apprentice Wizards learning something, blah, blah, blah. I didn’t really listen to my teacher- Malorn. Some kid, huh? I would never like to teach a class-“
“Abby” I put my hands on her shoulders, and shook her. “We. Are. Going. To. Be. Late.”
“I hear you. I’m not deaf.”
“Where is the assembly going to be?!” I raised my voice slightly in annoyance.
“Gee, don’t act so nervous. Everybody is late for their assemblies. Just follow.” Abby took my wrist and let me past the schools of Life and Myth. They looked the same as before when I got my enrollment. It seemed so long ago. Our feet were slapping against the carved, beautifully architectural pavement, but we couldn’t hear it.
I could hear huge crowds of talking, but saw nothing yet. It sounded as though the school was just getting situated in their assembly, which was good for me. We weren’t late.
Abby led me to an opening. I recognized it as the destroyed Death school that Malistaire defaced. At least two-hundred, or maybe three-hundred students sat on the grass, behind the tree of Bartebly. Most of the students sat like it were the most normal thing ever, to be sitting in the grass in front of a demolished school, waiting for the Headmaster to talk to all of them. Few acted like me- surprised and weird.
“Abby! Mary! Over here!” I heard Richard’s voice, and Abby pulled me toward it. I could see Richard through the crowd, and it seemed to evaporate when Abby wanted to get through. It was almost as though nobody wished to displease her. It brought a smile to my face.
We sat down together, on a shady patch of grass. It was a good view, and we noticed a podium up in front. I wondered if any sudden gust of wind would knock it over, the person with it, and send it flying over where the destroyed school was, and into oblivion. Who knows what is under Wizard City
I heard horns, or flutes, or something. I looked around to see where it was coming from, and saw the entire staff’s wands up in the air. I noticed that the sounds were coming from their wands.
At podium, a flash of light appeared. It was quick, and sharp. I didn’t know what it was until I saw Headmaster Ambrose standing there, hands together, normally. How did he get there?
Many students were in awe, and most others looked normal. Obviously, they knew how to do the same thing as the Headmaster, or they have seen it before.
Everybody quieted down and stared at the Headmaster. His gaze was intense, and I had an immediate feeling that something was on the Headmaster’s mind.
He cleared his throat calmly. “Today, you all heard about the Ravenwood Assembly.”
Not really, no. I didn’t.
“And I must assure you, that you are all becoming very talented Wizards, and Witches.” The Headmaster continued. “Your powers are improving, so our staff, and I, has decided that it is time to introduce Porting and Secondary Schools.”
Whispers went through the crowd. I didn’t know what either of those things were, but I guess most did. I felt rather alone.
“And so, you will use your knowledge from your dear enrollment, to decide what Secondary School you are destined to be. Do any of you, my students, know what a Secondary school is?” Some raised their hands to his question.
“This is too boring.” Abby whispered in my ear. I smirked, but I was still interested in his speech.
“A Secondary school, my friends, is a school besides your own school. It is not your Fate school. In order for you to learn more and become more powerful, you must learn more than your school alone. With two school’s knowledge, you will be a proper wizard, especially in Combat.” Headmaster Ambrose spoke wisely. “Questures will be able to learn more then one school. Their height of nobility, the more they will be able to learn.”
Some students in the crowd groaned. Abby looked irritated. “That is such a cheap-stake! They just want kids to turn into Questures and fight for their lazy-“
“Abigail.” Richard coughed. He nodded upward, and Abby looked up to see a teacher walking nearby. She silenced herself in order to stay out of trouble.
For now, anyways.
I didn’t think it was fair, either. But there was reason for anything and everything. I may not know this one, but the Ravenwood Staff sure did. Things are always hidden from me.
“From now on, after school, teachers will be welcoming secondary classes. All you need to do is walk in, and sign up. You cannot quit.”
“Great!” I smiled widely. “I want to learn all schools!”
“Ha!” Richard snorted. “I thought you didn’t want to become a Questure.”
I grimaced. “I don’t. Dang it. Well, I can still study, they don’t have to know.”’
“Ugh, Mary. You’re too smart for your own good.” Abby added, but in a nice way.
“Gee, thanks.”
Headmaster Ambrose cleared his throat again, and the crowd silenced once more. “Porting, however, is a difficult task, and will be taught by your Fate, or First class. Both Questures and others will be able to Port.”
“What is Porting?” I asked Richard.
“Did you see how the Headmaster got here? The flash of light? That’s porting.”
“Ooh…” I realized it now. I wonder how I never knew. It wasn’t like my mother “Ported” anywhere. Or anybody else.
“Porting, my students, is a transporter of you to another area. You will learn further on in your studies, however this isn’t the time. You have class to go to, and I must not distract your learning! We will speak again, my dear school.” Headmaster Ambrose clapped his hands in final discussion.
“Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?” I exclaimed as we were walking to our classes. “I mean, who wouldn’t want to learn more?”
“Me.” Abby replied curtly.
“Richard?” I asked questionably.
“Eh, its okay. I don’t really care, I just… Yeah.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, you guys certainly have no interest in this. I will talk to you later.” And I skipped away to my class.
I had forgotten to tell them about my plans…
So what did I do with the truth?
No comments:
Post a Comment