Chapter IV

The Boom of Satoria Abbey

The next few weeks were actually enjoyable for Elijah, he had a new routine which offered some sort of adventure to his usually dull life. He'd still wake up at dawn and work on the fields but every day, after he finished his work, he would race over to Satoria Abbey where he was always welcomed by The Wizard and his two friends.

Sometimes he'd help with spell practice, moving around targets and sometimes even being a target. Other days he would just read away in the library, finding some of the most interesting facts. On the best days he even got to help participate in duels, wielding a wooden sword as he battled Ceddrick or Tristan. All in all he was starting to enjoy his life, he actually had something to look forward to and took pride in telling others, "Yeah Ceddrick and Tristan, I help train them."

December was coming and with it came a cold breeze from the west along with it a heavy down pour of snow. To an ordinary farmer this was a horrible time, with the heavy sleet it was nearly impossible to grow crops. But to Elijah this was even better, after the first arrival of snow he no longer had to do field work and he wouldn't have to until spring came. The only thing he did have to do was tend to the animals, which was hardly any work at all. Winter was easily Elijah's favorite time of the year, even the other citizens of Snuib were enjoying winter.

The trees were covered in powdery snow giving off a Christmas like feel. Elijah was probably the only one enjoying his free time more than the amount of Christmas spirit which was going around. Iron Golems were dressed with large red santa hats and even allowed for decorative badges to hang from their chests. Dale was colored in head to toe with bright flashing Christmas lights, even the lanterns were changed to glow in a reddish green fashion. Meager Hall was having their once a year special where they served alcoholic eggnog, from all over people flocked every night to try their special drink. Satoria Abbey, thanks to Mrs. Rosemary mostly, was fashioned with all sorts of magical charms and spells which made it glow with green, yellow, red, and blue lights flickering all around the building. Pigs even found their part in the swing of Christmas spirit, honey roasted hams were selling so fast that after the first week of winter Farmer Maggot had no more pigs to sell.

"Always got to enjoy the once a year eggnog." Said Ceddrick as he had a thick foam of milk cluster around his upper lip before licking it away.

"Can't even taste the rum, are you sure these are alcoholic Colin?" Commented Tristan.

"Ai, 'ad bout five of 'em mugs today." Said Colin with a slur. "Elijee, c'me then have a mug." Elijah was just now entering the cellar of Meager Hall. It was Saturday and every Saturday tending to the animals took an hour longer than usual, mostly because it was every Saturday that they cleaned the animal pens.

"No teaching today?" Asked Elijah a bit confused, while working earlier Ceddrick and Tristan had told him to meet them here, instead of the usual spot which was Satoria Abbey.

"The Wizards gone out to Lumbrington, won't be back till next week. Heard they had a mix up within The Council." Replied Tristan while sipping down his drink.

"Heard my dad talk about it with my mom," Added Ceddrick who always had some news to say about The Council. He was often ease dropping on his parents. "Some witch named Betty Apricot has gone missing, probably just got held up on her trip to Tardeshi says my dad. Although I heard my mom say that The Council is more concerned on how they couldn't contact Reginald Wilbersmith, who's suppose to be on vacation in Florentine. My Uncle Limoux was visiting a few days ago, he knew Reginald very well, said that he often forgets to check in with The Council while on vacation, he too went to Lumbrington, had to reassure The Council that it was nothing to worry about."

Unlike before, where Elijah would recall his strange dream and begin to worry, Elijah payed no attention to it. Other the last few weeks everything had gone perfectly well for him and with that the dream he had had almost two months ago no longer seemed to exist in his mind, it was in a way forgotten.

"W'zards be confusing yeah.." Said Colin a bit droopy, "Spells an' all that sort'o stuff."

"Get's a bit easy once you read up about it all." Said Elijah who could actually now speak about his knowledge of wizards. After weeks of reading he was now finally starting to understand the basic organizations and laws of the Wizarding world.

"Whatever the case, got a week off from teachings... Gonna start some trouble I suppose." Laughed Tristan as he quickly finished off his mug getting a refill from a large clay made jug that Colin held.

"Off grounding I guess, still got another week of grounding." Replied Ceddrick a bit fuzzy, his cheeks were starting to turn red. A shout of laughter came from upstairs, the sounds of games being played was heard. Colin looked up, seeming as if he wanted to join.

"Ima 'ead up on alright? You boys b'have now." Wobbled Colin as he left the cellar leaving the jug of eggnog alcohol behind.

"Three boys and a jug of alcohol," Eyed Tristan with a smile... "Who's up for some chicken chasing?"

Elijah dove into a cluster of dirt narrowly missing a chicken as it jumped squawking away. Then suddenly Ceddrick lunged, the chicken again squawked while flapping into the air, feathers scattering as Ceddrick gripped it's body to only loose it as it pecked him running away. Tristan was too busy chugging another mug of eggnog to even pay attention to the scene. Finally, after a lot of squawking, feathers and pecking, Elijah caught one. "Three for me yeah?" Said Elijah a bit wobbly, his cheeks rosy red and his eyes a bit gloomy.

"No that's -hiccup- no.. I got one." Replied Ceddrick as he took a seat placing his head in-between his legs. "I... don't feel good."

"Don't yak little guy." Replied Tristan as he downed the last bit of eggnog which was in then jug. "I'm feeling great, ready for a wizard duel." Said Tristan again as he took out his wand aiming it at Ceddrick. Ceddrick tried standing, but simply fell back down wishing he hadn't drank as much as he had.

"Alright then, I guess I'll have to-" BOOM!

The ground shook, there was a rattle amongst the air and in the distance a large cloud of smoke began bellowing into the sky. Moments later the smoke had become so thick that the midday sun was now blocked out clouding the land in an orange haze. Faint screams could be heard, and people could be seen running from the ever growing smoke.

"What in the world." Cried Tristan as he turned. Ceddrick had stood, his cheeks rosy red and his eyes blurred with a glossy layer.

"That's by Satoria Abbey!" Yelled Ceddrick in a slur. He was right, the three looked at each then without thinking all of them began rushing towards the scene.

Along the road leading to Satoria Abbey there were people holding rags to their mouths, the smoke was still roaring and as the group came closer they could see that nearby trees were caught aflame.

"Acunda!" A jet of water flew from Tristan's wand as he aimed it at the trees desperately trying to stop the fire from spreading. Ceddrick joined it, but sloppily sprayed a few other people as they ran by.

"Look!" Cried Elijah as the group got closer to the Abbey. They froze... The abbey was no more. The library which Elijah had spent so much time in had four big holes blown all through it. Bookshelves hanging out from the blown apart flooring in the abbey and books were caught on fire falling to the ground below before bursting in flame. The tall tower had been completely blown apart. All the way up to the top there were loose pillars which then collapsed as the fire spread to it turning the wood to rubble. The fire was so bright and hot that Elijah and Ceddrick had too shield their eyes stepping away from the bright flames. Pigs and cows who normally rested below the abbey scattered amongst the rubble, their charred corpses still flaming. But amongst the cluster of dead animals there was another body, the body of a woman! Tristan spotted her lying lifelessly and without even thinking he ran her way completely ignoring the still roaring fire which was around them.

"It's Mrs. Rosemary!" Cried Tristan as he jumped to her side. Her skin was melted, bones were exposed and her face had been completely scorched. "Help Me!" Tristan was in tears and his whole body shook in fear. Ceddrick and Elijah rushed over, now filled with fright instead of alcohol.

"She's... she's dead!" Cried Ceddrick as he shook her body realizing that she had no pulse. A beam of wood came toppling upon them, Ceddrick spotted it and quickly used his wand pushing it away. "We need to go! It's going to collapse on us!" He cried.

"No.. She might still be alive, we have to save her!" Tristan was refusing to accept her death. Another beam came down this time it landed so close that flames blew off it almost catching fire on them.

"Come on!" Elijah took a hold of Tristan pulling him up from the scene. "COME ON!" The trio narrowly missed another beam which came crashing upon them, Mrs. Rosemary's body was soon covered in fiery rubble.

"We need to help put out the fire or else-" Elijah was soon hit with something that felt like a sledge hammer he didn't go flying though, but instead he felt his back crackle and fell face down into the gravel made road. Tristan turned, there were two pumpkin masked figures firing spells at them. Amongst the burning abbey and smoking trees the two figures charged, spells being casted.

"Sheldo!" Shouted Ceddrick as a beaming red light came his way, the spell coming his way was suddenly reflected shooting straight into the air before dissolving. "Aiero!" He sent a spell back but it did nothing as one of the masked figure moved. Tristan joined in with the fight and for several moments the duel raged on. Back and forth they shot spells, Tristan and Ceddrick defending each other while the other two did the same. Flickers and flares of different color lights whizzed by, the ones the missed hit nearby trees causing their trunks to shatter into several hundred splinters. One tree near Elijah had been hit and after it's trunk had been shattered it began toppling his way. Rolling just in time the large heavy tree crashed a few inches away. A second after narrowly escaping death he saw Tristan's body go flying from one side of the road into a tree a few yards away.

Ceddrick was left alone, a curse went his way and barely getting a charm off he blocked the spell. But seconds later his wand was suddenly shot out of his hand and before even being able to blink his right shoulder was deeply sliced by what seemed like a cutting curse. Ceddrick fell onto his back, another curse flew his way and he went flipping twenty feet into the air before crashing into the thick branches of a tree. The two masked figures caught eye of Elijah, readying their wands they turned his way as he struggled to get up from behind the fallen tree.

"Comfrundo!" Shouted a familiar voice as the two men were suddenly blasted from the spot they stood on. "Ludo!" Added another voice. From further down the road Elijah spotted Mr. Remopard, Jalop Umbro, Seamus Finginny, and a group of well dressed wizards and wizards all rushing to the scene. Lowering their wands a loud coordinated shout, "Frizon" could be heard as sleek ice looking lights shot towards the two masked mages. One was suddenly hit and freezing up like a stone boulder the person toppled over. The other looked surprised, sending a few spells back he was then hit in the arm by spell from Seamus. Suddenly there was a thick black cloud of smoke and across the sky shot a grey cluster of what seemed like haze, after the smoke cleared the person was no longer there.

"Elijah where's Ceddrick! Where is he!" Cried Mr. Remopard as he rushed to help Elijah from behind the tree, Elijah couldn't speak he was still stricken with fear. Barely being able to raise his shaky hand he pointed towards a nearby tree where Ceddrick had landed. "Ceddrick! Ceddrick!" Cried Mr. Remopard as he ran that way. Around him Elijah spotted the wizards and witches all working together as they quickly began putting out the flame.

"She's dead... Mrs. Rosemary.. She's DEAD!" Tristan had staggered back to the scene, his leg twisted unnaturally and while holding his wrist Tristan had dirt and smoke stained across his face. "They killed her!"

"Put the fire on the abbey out! Hurry!" Commanded Seamus as he aimed his wand towards the flames, jets of water being fired out. The fire hissed and cried as the water began to diminish it followed by a white cloud of smoke which soared into the air.

"Ceddrick my god! Your shoulder!" Mr. Remopard had just helped Ceddrick down from the tree and when doing so he spotted a large slice clean through Ceddrick's shoulder even cutting through parts of his bone. "Seamus!" Mentioned Mr. Remopard as Seamus came over.

"Hurry! Get him to Samantha Blaire!" Cried Seamus as he helped Ceddrick walk. Ceddrick was pale white, his face looked as if he was about to vomit and he body rattled with both pain and fear. His eyes kept twitching and after taking a few steps he collapsed. With the wave of Mr. Remopard's wand Ceddrick was lifted and with the help of a few other witches he was rushed from the scene.

"Her bodies here!" Cried a rather young looking witch who was amongst the rubble clearing it aside. "They're right.. She's dead." The young witch turned away, disgust in her voice. Seamus marched over, and without a single emotion he glanced upon the burned body of Mrs. Rosemary. He did not look bothered or disgusted, but instead he seemed deeply upset and frustrated not with her own personal death, just with the death in general.

"Take the man back to the Remopard's, as for the rest of you clean this rubble up, keep the citizens away. We don't need them seeing this." Seamus turned, now facing Elijah and Tristan. "Explain yourselves now!"

"We... we heard the explosion and just came... Then... this." Said Tristan in a shaky voice, he was obviously in pain.

"Didn't you have teachings today? Where's the Wizard?" Asked Seamus.

"He went off, to Lumbrington.. Gave us a week. I figured he would have told you." Seamus eyed Tristan while he spoke, suspicion running through his eyes.

"Jalop! Take these two back to the Remopard's as well, make sure Hainery here gets his wounds treated."

Before being able to talk Elijah and Tristan were soon taken away, Tristan being magically carried by Jalop and Elijah falling close behind. Other wizards and witches followed with them as well carrying the other masked man who they had frozen earlier. Elijah couldn't help but noticed that their faces were covered with fear, the younger witch who had found Mrs. Rosemary looked as if she was about to die with looks of disgust and pain covering her face. In the distance the smoldering ruin of Satoria remained, crowding around were citizens pushing and shoving trying to get a glimpse. Other wizards and witches had joined in at the scene, all of them stained with expressions of fear... Something terrible had just happened, and not knowing Elijah had just witnessed an attempted assassination on the lives of Tristan, Ceddrick, and The Wizard of Snuib.