Chapter 1
The Verdicts
I yawned, and waited for my Verdict. I already knew the results, they were the same as the last two years. I slumped down in my chair. My limbs relaxed, my eyelids slowly drooped. I shook my head, my knee knocked the side of the desk, attracting attention.
“You are aware that falling asleep is prohibited and can lead to expulsion, furthermore….”
The teacher launched off on her speech. I rolled my eyes, and peered around the classroom. Others chuckled quietly. I glared at them, shutting them up immediately.
“Is that understood?” Teacher squealed. I yawned:
“Understood.” My syllables dragged out and slow. Teacher gave me the evil stare, and continued on. Name, after name, after name, the Verdicts dragged on. My eyes slowly closed, and I drifted off into some waking dreams. I was falling, falling, tumbling, I looked down, at the serenity of the spongy moss, and water reservoirs dotted around beneath me.
I caught myself just before a giggle and/or snore escaped my mouth. All sorts of stares were directed at me. I supposed my Verdict had been given. I stood up and commenced the walk of shame, or at least, how I had nicknamed it. Every year, my Verdict had been given it had been: “Has been unaccepted, but in light of her test scores and athletic ability, she will take an exam that will determine her official Verdict.” And, as usual, everyone snickers and stares at me as I awkwardly amble up the path to the dais. This time, all I got was applause and dropped jaws. I looked around, puzzled. Teacher stood, beaming at me, but the expression in her eyes said: “Thank god! This horrid child is out of my life!” It was almost as if I could hear her voice saying just that. Then her voice continued: “Pft… she lives off of luck…” I glared at her, fiery hate burning in my eyes. “She never was suited for our…. Advanced course… the slime-sucking, lagging, careless, snobby…” She continued with the names, that said nothing about me, I was a loner, I had no parents -of course, no one knows that- I ,unlike any others, adore the cold, and I do work hard…. Just not at school, it comes naturally to me. A low, quiet growl escaped my throat. I snorted, my nose burned, and my eyes watered. I wiped my eyes, and mumbled:
“Tears of joy…. Or hate…” To the boy to my left. He chuckled, and passed me a few chocolate bars.
“She never did like you…. Or me…” He said, now behind me. I shoved the chocolate up my sleeve, and nodded. I signed to him:
Indeed……. We shall chat soon, squirrel sensei… He was my one and only friend, the only one who accepted me, despite my differences, and oddness. I completed my walk of shame to the dais. I looked up to teacher. She smiled down at me, causing me to flinch. She was an evil woman, I swear it. Her voice boomed about the room:
“This girl…” She hesitated, and glanced at me. I mouthed my name. “Flynn,” I brought my palm up, and drove it into my forehead. She stomped on my foot, and continued. My friend was the only one who knew my name, nobody else bothered to remember it. Teacher carried on:
“Has demonstrated excellence in all areas this year, and all other years previous, she was only under-aged, and therefore was forbidden to enter this school for privileged children.”
“I’m thirteen” I said through clenched teeth. She waved her hand in front of my face in response.
“She has taken eligibility tests after every Verdict, and has scored highest on them every time. Therefore, she has succeeded into entering the school!” Great shouts and cheers resounded through the room. Everyone seemed happy, but I didn’t understand what the heck was going on. As far as I’m concerned, all that was happening was I’m just going to another school, to be separated and even more alien. I cast a sideways glance at my friend, he just laughed and clapped. He then turned to the kids next to him and yelled something I had grown used to, whenever he was proud of me, he’d scream: “THAT’S MY GIRLFRIEND!” At first I protested, but eventually I just rolled my eyes, and laughed. He yelled just that, and then, he stood up, and walked up to me, getting a disapproving look from teacher. I paid no attention, excitement bubbled inside of me, if my friend was happy about it, it must be good. He walked straight up onto the dais, and grabbed my shoulders.
“I’m gonna miss you kid…” He said.
“I’m gonna miss you too… Ingi…” I said.
“Gwana…” He said. I beamed and flinched at my name, hearing it was such a rare occurrence. I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him tight. He hugged me back. By now, the sounds around us started seeping through the “bubble” that had formed around us. Kids were chanting: “KISS KISS KISS!” I sneered at them, some of them made faces back, and I burst out laughing. He pulled away from me, and muttered something incomprehensive.
“What?”
“I……………. I’ve…….. You……….”
“Ingi….. You’re making no sense….”
“I’ve…” He pulled on his shirt collar, sweat beaded on his forehead.
“You don’t look too good Ingi, maybe I should get you to the nurse…” I peered past him. He was a rather chunky kid, and he dwarfed me with his five foot, ten inch height. I was a measly four foot nine. Behind him, I saw kids taking bets in the audience, probably as to whether we were gonna kiss or not. The room was still full of laughter and rejoicing. It was a great celebration whenever someone moved schools; I always missed it because I’ve been asleep…
“N-no… I’m trying to say…”
“That…” I knew what he was going to say, I could hear it now. I love you…… His gentle voice echoed through my head, looking into each-other’s eyes. I would cry a tear of joy. And his gentle, caring, kind nature would stand guard over me. No matter how far apart we were. The moment lasted forever.
I rose up onto my toes, to attempt to look into his eyes. He looked down at me, our eyes met. Would the moment in my head become a reality? Would something finally go right? All sorts of questions buzzed inside my head. But they were halted as I opened my mouth, to say: “Well?” But his finger touched my lips. Was he really going to say it? I felt his hands move down to my elbows.
“Gwana….” He said, his hands moved to mine. His fingers laced through mine, sending a shudder down my spine.
I felt teacher right behind me. She grabbed my arm, wrenching my right hand free of his.
“No!” I said, grabbing his other hand tight.
“We now bid farewell to Flynn! We shall remember her as she continues on her way to greatness!” Teacher’s voice boomed through the room, she continued dragging me toward the great, wooden doors, adorned with jewels that everyone always longed to go through. But still, I struggled to get back to Ingi, even though I knew my efforts were fruitless. Our hands were pulled apart, sending me backwards.
“INGI!” I screamed, over the volume of the room. I was pulled back farther towards the doors. I turned to teacher.
“Wait, please…. Can I just say good-bye to him?” I begged her.
“No child, as that would leave you broken hearted, besides! It would slow down the process! The sooner we get through the doors, the sooner we can start anew!” Her voice dripped with false pity, she looked down at me, I sneered at her.
“If I don’t say good-bye….. I’ll be even more broken hearted!” I pleaded.
“The answer is no!” She squealed. I turned back to Ingi.
“Ingi!” I yelled.
“Gwana!” He called back.
“I’m gonna miss you!”
“I’ll miss you too!” He called. Not very touching, but still, it warmed my heart.
“Ingi…..” I started, and the doors began to close in front of me. My statement was cut off, as the doors swung shut, sealing me off from Ingi… and the rest of the world.
I peered around. The room was pitch black, I couldn’t see anything. I put my hand in front of my face. I couldn’t see it, I brought it closer and closer, only when it touched my nose, could a faint outline be seen. This told me that there was a light source coming from somewhere, but it was a very long way away. Also, since there was a light source, there must be fresh air coming in. I was not in danger of death. Out of the darkness, teacher’s voice boomed:
“Here is your first test, to see if you are worthy…..”
“Worthy? Test? Where am I going?!” My voice rang, desperate and confused, in the air. But teacher continued:
“You must keep your wits, and use both mental and physical strength to get out.”
“Get out?! This is a concrete box!”
“You get one hint, and no help. The hint may come at any time… in any manner.”
“One hint?”
“Hint: Magic…”
“Seriously? Already? And either way, I’m in a…….” Something rang in my brain, there was a light source far off, this couldn’t possibly be a box. My thoughts were interrupted by the next remark.
“The hint gives you something that would have taken you forever to figure out, speeding up the process, from here on out, you’re alone…”
“No! Wait! Uggg” I complained. I looked around pointlessly. Ok, think……. There’s a light source some way off, I am in no danger of suffocation. This isn’t a room, so what is it? It’s magical, or has something to do with magic, according to the hint. It could be a hallway, a closet, a portal, or even a Path.
“A Path…” I whispered, the words rang true in the thick silence. Panic rose inside of me. Its rushing filled my ears, and blinded me. I pushed it back down, and took a deep breath. I sniffed the air, hoping for the fain scent of clean, fresh air. All I got was the musty smell of the Path. I turned around stiffly, sniffing the air, nothing. After a 360 degree spin… at least, I hoped so, I conducted another test. I held my hand an inch in front of my nose, I think, and turned around. I couldn’t see it. I moved my hand a bit closer, and turned around again. I repeated this, until my hand touched my nose, and at about a 90 degree turn, I caught the outline. I started in that direction.
...
Something tugged at the edge of my vision; I whirled around, just in time to see a tongue of flame jump out of me. I leapt into the air, remembering one of my tests after the Verdict had been given. It was from a physical selection. I had to spring into the air, and grab a pair of gym rings. I then had to twist upside down, and hang there with my legs, in order to grab a golden key on a pedestal below me. There were a few issues though:
A: The rings were ten feet in the air.
B: The rings were suspended on fine thread.
C: The pedestal moved, and it was made of rubber.
Those were only the major ones, if I fell, I’d have landed on concrete, and other students taking the test were racing against me. Though, every single test I passed, with sheer luck, common sense, and physical strength.
Using the knowledge gained in that certain test, I managed to jump high enough to stay in the air as long as possible. I landed silently; the fire hitting the opposite wall illuminated the Path for a minute. I saw doors, lining both sides. Between the doors was ancient script. At first glance, it looked like mere symbols, but upon closer inspection…. The fire-light faded. I felt the wall where the fire had originated from. It was still warm; I traced my fingers over the runes. They told a story… a story of fire-summoners... those who summoned fire. I continued tracing my fingers along the wall, hungry for more of their story. But I reached the door that stopped it. On the other side of the door, it told of gold creators, I felt above the story, where it told of how flyswatters were created. Below was the tragic tale of William Shakespeare. What? I thought. Shakespeare? I know Paths hold many secrets, histories, and tales, but Shakespeare? What’s he doing here? This puzzled me, but I sighed, the story of the fire summoners left me hanging. I stored their story in my memory, and determined to write it down later, maybe even add my own ending… in a different colour pen.
A little later, I came across another oddity. The floor was littered with ash and dust. Underneath was a light source. I stepped onto the ash, a cloud of it flew up into the air, swirling around me. I lifted my shirt up, to filter my breathing. I moved closer to the wall. More dust flew around me, despite my filter system, it was choking, my eyes watered. I stepped back, falling onto my butt. I found myself back on the mysterious stone floor of the path. The ash and dust dispelled. I coughed, and moved closer to the wall. Ahead of me, the dust and ash stretched as far as I could see. I remembered one of my written tests. It was about volcanoes, and fire. It was a cinch, for me at least. On the ash section of it, there were some questions that seemed to apply directly to this bit. I would have to either not step on it period, which meant either flying, or climbing up the slippy, vertical wall. Or, I could put something over it. Either way, I’d have to not step on it.
I neared the wall on my left, and touched the runes again. These were ice cold, and bone dry. I jumped at first contact, but my fingers remained on it. I found this story to be about dragons. Dragons about everything imaginable. Dust dragons, Ice dragons, technology dragons, even plastic dragons. Forgetting all about my current dilemma, I walked with my fingers on the wall, practically devouring information about the dragons. I learnt about how they were created, the original “rainbow” tribes, how dragons became more and more specialized. How only one type retained their uniqueness. How, eventually, there were only two or three dragons of each kind. How those of lesser importance died out, as they could find no mates. How, soon enough, there were tribes, and those tribes banded together. You had the “Compass” tribes, the original “Rainbow” tribes, “Element” tribes, “Stone” tribes, and two odd ones: Energy and Dimension dragons. I learned of how they fared when humans first came around. And the runes ended with a wooden door. I yelped as a splinter embedded itself under my fingernail. I turned back, and found the dust and ash undisturbed, and out of reach. I decided not to puzzle over it. I turned around. Knowing the nature of Paths, it stretched on forever, but my journey had ended, with this last wooden door. How I know: There was a big stone wall that stretched out in front of me, blocking my path no matter what I did. I turned back to the wooden door on my left. I tried the handle. It was unlocked. I shoved the door open, falling as it opened easily. I looked around, I was in a well lit room, students gathered around me, looking at me intently.
“Uh… hi?” I said. They cheered, but stopped and moved as a door slammed behind them. I stood up, in a hurry, as one of them mouthed: Get Up! They all looked nervous. I brushed my dirty, dusty, slightly burnt clothes off. I touched my shoulder, and was relieved to find my woolen bag still slung across my body. I let out a breath, but stopped when I saw who, no, WHAT was walking down the hallway towards me. It was tall, and skinny, very tan, it’s hair was made of… moss?... it had shrubs for hands, and roots for legs. I looked around the room, slower this time, taking in more details. The room was lit with sun-spheres- literally spheres of light, pure light. And a bunch of the students had wings… bug wings. Fairies… I thought in wonder. Other students had miscellaneous hats on. Wizards… I marveled. Some of them looked just like the thing walking down the hall towards me. They’re dryads… I noticed multiple other creatures around me. Among them were shape shifters, nymphs, and humans with magical abilities. Probably some mindspeakers and those with the ability of telekinesis. The dryad walking towards me was obviously a teacher. It started to speak…
