Leo nervously worried over the slightly bulky ring the clasped his finger so tightly, first turning it left, then right, then left again… He would twist his finger off if he wasn't careful. Getting up from his seat, he started pacing back and forth, anxious about what would soon happen. Why it couldn't just activate, already? With slight heat, he less-than-gently put his hand on the oak table beside him, the loud thunk breaking the staccato beat of his feet that was accompanied by the fluent stream of muttered words escaping his lips. As he looked at it, the golden crest set atop the facet of the ruby shone tawny in the bright sunlight coming through the drawn flowery curtains into the happy kitchen. The surroundings just didn't reflect what was inside Leo, though. He wanted to go, to be gone. When would he alre-
And with a yank behind the navel, Leo flew upward spinning around and around. Unable to suppress himself, he let out a whoop of exhilaration as the winds flew through his hair and clothing, lifting him over oceans and land, letting him soar like a dragon for a few precious seconds. All too soon, though, he could feel himself descending like a feather. As he stepped gracefully from the air to the ground, he looked around, and could see the others coming in: Elina, Linnea, Viktor, Rasmus, Soren, Filip, Nora. All of them conglomerating into a small mass of hugs and tears and greetings. Other amorphous groups scattered over the grassy incline, so excited to see one another again.
Linnea and Elina led the group ahead immediately, tugging on hands, to the favorite spot of the group. They ran, laughing and screaming and carrying on, to the waters edge. There, they all lay down on the mossy boulder, splaying limbs in random directions, each resting their head on another's stomach or chest. Leo and Soren watched the other people come, pointing out with laughs the new students by their failure to land well.
Eventually, though, all the students were there, spread out like a dusting of snow on a winters day on the hillside. They were given a few hours to catch up with each other and rest. Leo looked around, savoring his surroundings like the richest cake in the world.
The sparkling waters seemed to glow as clear a blue as Nora's eyes, gently caressing the edge of the rock they lay on. The rock itself was a grayer gray, the sky a bluer blue. The grass, a greener, verdant green. The rocky walls of the fjord jutted out at precarious angles, as if trying to dive into the water themselves at some points, or sloping slowly into it at others. The soft sea breeze tousled his hair welcomingly, bringing a cool breeze that made goosebumps appear on his skin. He breathed it in deeply, the salty tang seeming to satisfy an unreachable itch deep inside his chest. And he could almost feel the magic in the air, like a deep, deep bass note that you couldn't even hear, but feel. Permeating every crevice of the surrounding area, it vibrated through the air itself. Leo could sense it. As he gazed around in wonder, the sun began to set, casting deep shadows through the fjord, and turning the water a rutilant, brilliantly fiery orange. When he saw this, he slowly looked up to the sight he had been wanting to see the most.
Long, pointed shadows stretched across the empty fields and dells, as if they were fingers, spread in a welcoming gesture. The very brightest thing in the sky now was the castle, it's windows glittering many times brighter than the starry halo the night provided for it's background. It stood there proudly, it's tallest turret like a formal hat, it's tradition a proud cape. It's majestic beauty almost caught Leo's breath. The place he had been longing for was waiting for him.
He looked to his right, at Soren. He was a few inches taller, a little lankier, fine skin, curly dark hair… Leo could list it all from heart. He knew Soren's looks better than his own. The last rays of the sun pierced his warm brown eyes and cast stark shadows onto his relatively chiseled features. Excitement was clearly written all over his face as it was Leo's. The whole group linked arms as they readied to climb the stone steps to the castle. Leo looked directly at Soren again.
"Let's go."