Year Three at Hogwarts
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Chapter 16: Brad's Battle Proposal
The Seekers just stood there grasping what Orichai had just told them. If they failed then they would have to suffer the consequences. Reggie was starting to think that maybe this wasn't a good idea, heck; he always thought these kinds of things weren't a good idea but it was too late to turn back now. Jacke was a little tense on what the consequences were but he tried not to think what would happen. Tyler was just too shocked to think on the matter properly. Brad seemed to be the one that was most frightened. He was visibly shaken by this, having a big mysterious creature tell you about danger for failing was like something out of those old adventure movies where adventurers were picked off one by one until only a select few remained.
Orichai spoke again. "Also, if thou wish to stop, then thou shall be welcome to. However, if thou wish another attempt then thou must begin all over again. Now, if thou seek to have the holy power then through this passage ye lie. But tread cautiously and I offer one warning: A pack is strongest with all on the same side."
'What does that mean?' Tyler thought. He didn't have much time because all of a sudden, Orichai simply just vanished into thin air without a trace. "He's gone."
"Well, what do we do know?" Brad asked to the silent three.
"We go on. We won't accomplish anything by just standing here. Let's go," Tyler said before he led on with Jacke, Brad and Reggie right behind him.
They walked onward through the stone passageway. Ahead was a dark as the deepest night. As they walked, the torches would ignite illuminating their surrounding area and would go off when they went far enough. It reminded them of the tunnels inside Hogwarts at how the walls let out a glow to illuminate the area and would disappear when you went far enough.
They walked for what seemed like ages until they came up to a giant open space. It was the size of a basic classroom all set in a circular shape. Beyond them was the passage to go on but there were bars in place to prevent them from going on.
"How are we going to keep going?"
"That's easy Brad. We'll just break these bars with a good Severing Charm." Jacke announced. He brandished his wand and yelled, "Diffindo!" The spell made contact but the metal bars stayed in place and looked like they didn't get a scratch.
"That's strange. That should've worked. Those bars are around a thousand years old and Jacke's charms are the best out of the four of us so what's wrong?" Tyler said looking at the bars carefully.
"Wait," Reggie said snapping his fingers. "Didn't Orichai say that we couldn't go on until we past the 7 guardians tests or something like that? Maybe we're at the first test and the bars won't vanish without the guardian's permission."
"But how are we going to pass the test when we don't even know what it is that we're supposed to do in the first place?" Tyler was at a lost until there was a big roaring sounding.
The Seekers shot their heads up and saw a light coming from the top of the room. In the light was a dark figure that was starting to lower itself toward them. They gripped their wands and readied their concentration incase they needed their elements. When the figure touched down, they saw that it was a figure that Tyler's godfather had taught them on their first DADA class: a Sphinx.
"Hello, young ones," it said in a gentle but strong voice. "I am the first guardian of these hollow grounds and in order to proceed, you must pass my test."
"What test is that?" Reggie asked letting out a deep breath.
"You must answer my riddle. If you correctly answer it then I shall allow you to go on. Answer incorrectly and you shall feel my claws. If you choose to not answer then you shall all be allowed to return back. You aren't allowed to work together. You are to choose one from your party to be subject to think and answer. You will choose amongst yourselves now."
They went off to the opposite corner and started to discuss this.
"Okay, so, which one of us is it going to be?"
"Well, Brad, you can count me out. When my godfather gave us this lesson, I wasn't even close to guessing the right answer."
Jacke shook his head. "Same here. I'm not really too good with riddles. I'm not the best choice for this either. That just leaves you two," he said indicating Brad and Reggie.
"Did any on you two solve the riddle?" Tyler asked.
"Well, I did." Reggie announced.
"Not me." Brad said.
"Well, then I guess that our safe bet is Reggie then."
"Jacke, you know how I am with pressure. When we had that riddle in class, we were sitting down doing a fun class activity, not actually confronting a live sphinx that could rip us all to shreds if I guess wrong."
"Reggie, we need you. You're the one that is kind of the big brains in your group."
"But what if I mess up. I don't know everything you know," Reggie said looking at his shoelaces.
"Brad's right Reggie," Tyler said looking upon his friend. "Remember, if you don't know the answer then you don't have guess. We could just walk out and try again, when we get stronger. Just try your best out there okay. If you know it great and if you don't then we won't hold it against you. You'll only let us down if you didn't try at all."
"Tyler's right mate. We might not be able to help but you can count on us to keep our fingers crossed for you."
Reggie stayed silent for a while and let a "Thanks guys," slip from his lips. He turned over to the Sphinx and raised his voice. "We've chosen and I will be the one. Tell me the riddle."
"Very well. Step over here in front of me. As for you three, if any of you knows the answer, then you are forbidden from saying it. Any violation and I attack immediately. Here's your riddle,
I am known throughout the world for the importance of my face. I am a part of humans's life and their whole existence revolves on having me nearby. I have no body but I wield hands. I have no head but I have a face. I run but I will never walk. I have no definite size and can be as big as a tower or as small as a rock. Twelve characters on my face give me my power. My partner is the pendulum and our sounds are the same as a pest. What am I?
Now for your answer."
Reggie was wracking his brain to find out what exactly was the sphinx talking about. The other three didn't make heads or tails of what that mean.
'Okay, let's see. A pendulum and it are partners. But pendulums don't make sounds except when they rock, they make ticks. Wait, a tick is a pest; it's an annoying insect. Okay, a ticking something with a face and twelve characters…wait, that's it. It's so simple!!!'
"The answer is a clock!"
The sphinx bowed its head and the bars shrank down into the floor leaving the passage wide open for them to continue. The Seekers all came together and gave a big group hug focusing most of their pressure on Reggie and stopped when he said that he couldn't breathe.
"How did you figure that out? It sounded like a lot of waffle to me," Jacke said looking really impressed.
"It wasn't too hard to tell you the truth. I started from the last clue up. The pendulum makes a sound when it rocks, a tick, which is a pest. And when you see a rocking pendulum, you see a clock. I had to be sure it was a clock and looked at the other clues. Power sources like batteries make them run but they don't walk. It doesn't have a head or body but it has a face with twelve numbers and a minute and hour hand. Clocks also tick with their second hands just like a pendulum and people need a clock because they all have schedules and you could hardly go by without one."
"Whoa, that is kind of simple," Brad said smiling at how he missed it. "That was a pretty good one still."
The Sphinx cut their celebration short. "Well, you have passed the first test but I warn you. Do not let confidence blind you. It was merely the first and every test is more difficult than the last. Mine was the easiest that you will encounter. Good luck young ones." He then spread his wings and headed back up to the light and vanished completely.
Soon the four of them found themselves going on through the corridor for the 2nd test. It didn't seem to take as long as it did to get to the first because despite the warning to not let their confidence blind them, it was just too hard not too. They were more ready and feeling more able then they were a good ten minutes ago. They arrived at the second trial room to find that it looked no different from the first. There was a passage with bars to block the way and it was circular. However, unlike before, there was a figure standing in the middle of the room. It was scaly, green and creepy. Brad thought it looked like one of the goblins from a muggle video game. It had yellow eyes, pointed ears, was about their height, had deep claws on its hands and feet and had big wings.
"Greetings, this is your first test. I am a soul collector. If you fail in my challenge then I, a soul demon, will devour your soul. You must say a hundred words in a single sentence." He had a gleam to his eyes after saying this, which Brad saw. He started to feel like he was being cheated off something and started remembering where he saw that kind of gleam before. "If you fail this task then you will become my appetizer. To start the challenge, thou must say the word, ready, to begin."
Like before, the four seekers went into a huddle.
"This doesn't make sense at all. How are we supposed to do this challenge?" Jacke asked rubbing his temples.
"Is it me, or am I seeing a pattern here?" Reggie said.
"Yeah, the tests so far have just been logic and brainteasers."
"I know Brad. We trained for real battle action and dueling and all we've got is homework riddles."
"Well Jacke. I already answered this bit of homework," Brad said with a gleam in his eyes.
"You have?" he said looking at his friend with doubt. "That fast?"
"It's a little deception that this demon's trying to pull. He said the riddle in a way that could fool anyone. Luckily, being bullied by slytherins all this time, no offense to you or Regulus Tyler, you're somewhat ready for these kinds of things that some of them try to pull over you. Just watch."
"I hope you know what you're doing Brad. If you're wrong then this demon will consume our souls for an evening snack," Tyler said before he urged Brad on. "But if you're sure that you know what you're doing then get going."
"Ready," Brad said a little harshly to the demon.
"Go on," it said before licking its lips.
"A hundred words in a single sentence."
Jacke, Reggie and Tyler just stood there in shock and had their mouths open at Brad's response. 'What was he playing at?' they all thought. However, the demon let out a frustrated yell and just disappeared leaving the doorway free for them to use.
"Wha, wha…I don't understand," Reggie said shaking his head.
"I saw that when the demon told us the challenge, he had a gleam in his eyes. It reminded me of when Lestrange pushed me into the dirt. He said that he was picking mudbloods and he picked me up to throw me to the dirt. It was like he had an inside joke and it was the same with the demon. He said, "you Must say, a hundred words in a single sentence." I caught it. I guess even being picked on can help you in a weird sort of way."
Jacke went to Tyler and put an arm on his shoulder. "Brad, you are bloody brilliant. You showed that demon that you wouldn't be pushed around."
Reggie and Tyler joined in the recognition and Brad was starting to feel a little embarrassed. "Really guys, it's nothing. Let's just move on the next one shall we."
As they walked, Brad had something in his mind that he couldn't pass up saying. "Tyler, your ancestor must've not been so brilliant after all if we've gone this far without even a scratch. The way he made it sound in his journal, this place was always a battle for life and death."
"Brad, you're getting ahead of yourself. Remember what the Sphinx told us. The beginning tryouts are supposed to be easy. But as we get farther then that's where the real trouble starts. I just hope we can handle it."
They continued on through the corridor and found themselves at a third chamber. This one was different from the other two. There was a wider space and there was a figure leaning on it. He looked like a teenage boy dressed in white robes but there were alterations that made it useless for him to pass as a mere human. He had wild purple hair with two yellow horns coming out of the top. He had glowing yellow eyes and his ears were a little pointed. There were also was seemed to be bird talons where his hands should be but other than that he seemed normal. He looked up at them and smiled.
"Greetings. I am your third trial." He had the voice of a typical teenager as well that clashed with his appearance. He sounded so gentle. "I am Shimroe. Now let us begin." The wall disappeared and all of a sudden, a large circular arena was in their sights. Brad thought that it looked about half the size of a basketball court. "You must defeat me in a battle. You are to choose one fighter who could defeat me but you are not permitted to use your human forms at all."
When he said this, the four of them looked at each other in shock and wonder. "Yes, I know you all have the power to become animals and I know exactly which ones as well. You must stay in your animal form while in battle with me. Don't fret for I will become a beast myself and battle. If for any reason that you change into your human form then you shall be cursed for all eternity. This arena is a sacred place where only beasts could step foot into. Should a human stand on this sacred ground then they are cursed to relive horrors of their past forever without end. Now, who shall it be," he finished rubbing his hands like he just invited them to play a game of Exploding Snap. He moved toward the center and the Seekers mouths dropped when he started levitating about a few inches from the ground so he wasn't touching the floor still with the confident, playful smile.
"Whoa, that guys seems pretty sure of himself. He seems so gentle to be any threat," Jacke said taking another look at him.
"Don't be fooled. Remember me. I may be a nice guy but I can be ruthless in a duel which you should know," he said a little cockily.
"Whose the one this time. Seems that now we're going into the more physical and brutal stuff. We don't even know what he's going to turn into and yet he knows all about the four of us," Reggie said sounding crazed.
"Look, maybe he was bluffing about that. He didn't actually say what we were so maybe it was to intimidate us?" Tyler said trying to raise his spirits but it seemed that that failed.
"Anyway, we have to decide what animal would be the best choice. An unknown beast against either a lion, snake, badger or an eagle," Jacke said counting off the possibilities.
"Well, the choice is so obvious that I shouldn't have to even say it to you huh?" Reggie said starting to sound a little pompous. "It should be," he started to say looking at Jacke but Brad cut him off.
"You Reggie."
"What? Me? Brad, Jacke is a lion. His claws and strong legs would be the best for fighting."
"Reggie, we can't risk anything, can we? Both Tyler and Jacke are still fresh from the trials. Maybe we should try to hold on that. You and I better try and save them for later. They are the dueling champions from last year and you have to admit that they know their dueling. If we're all tired out then the seventh trial will finish us off completely. Also, you are an eagle. You have the advantage of flying to help in dodging and surprise attacks. When I dueled you and you used your animal form, you were very unpredictable. That's the best way that we should go on right now."
Whatever admiration for Brad that he received in the last test was just doubled. Brad had a real good point. If they all exhausted themselves then the last test would have to face four tired wizards instead of two or one fresh wizard.
"Brad," Tyler started. "I…I completely agree."
"But Tyler. We just can't sit back and do nothing while Reggie and Brad run themselves into the floor. It's not right." Jacke said shaking his head and showed that he didn't like it.
"The tests seem to be getting physical now and you and I are the best duelers between the four of us. If both Reggie and Brad want to do this then we'll have to respect that. Believe me, I don't like it any more than you do. But I see where Brad is going with this. We're trump spells for later. We have to think about the 4 tasks ahead instead of thinking of just now."
"Well, there you have it Jacke," Brad said to him before turning to Reggie. "Well mate? How about it? Are you in on my idea or not?"
"Alright. After you said that, I can't not go with it Brad. I can still change my size if I need to when I'm in my eagle form so that should give me the greater edge over this guy."
"Good luck Reggie mate. I may not like it but you can count on me to support you all the way."
"Thanks Jacke."
Reggie moved himself toward the center of the arena where the tester Shimroe was waiting. He reached the boundary, the line that was between the stone floor of the temple with the arena. Where Reggie was standing, moments later was an elegant eagle in his place. It flew over about four feet from where Shimroe was levitating.
"Now, let me explain the rules. In order to win in this fight, one must be either knocked out, knocked out of the arena or if you give up. There's absolutely no time limit and no interference allowed. If there is remotely one spell that breaches an inch of the arena then you automatically lose and you will be cast out. Now…let's start. The match officially starts when I let out a roar from my mouth."
The tester Shimroe started to shape shift in front of their eyes. He started to turn black and his face became pointed out and started to stretch forward developing fangs and whiskers. He gained a tail and leaned forward to be on four. His eyes didn't lose their yellow color but they became fierce. There was no evidence that he seemed like that harmless guy now. His total outlook changed to that of a panther, except there were classic mistakes. His horns were still there but had shrunk in size. On the top of his head was a mop of his purple hair.
Reggie flapped his wings and gazed onto the form of his panther opponent. 'Okay, this is good. He's a land-based animal. He can only strike on the ground, which means that my aerial attacks have all the edge in this fight. Still…I had better not chance it. He is still a tester and I bet he's fought against disadvantages before. My best move would be to hit him hard and quick. I shouldn't underestimate him for a minute.'
The panther form of Shimroe let out a roar and the fight between the two animals had just begun.
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End of Chapter 16SwollenFridge: I'm glad you love the Earth Spirit. Don't worry, there'll be more of her. I'm still in the planning stages. As for why Brad was the first to be accepted first. I made him first because I want to use the knowledge that he was first despite being a muggleborn later on. As for the actual reason why the Spirit came to him first was because he showed her that he was capable to work hard to be a great elemental. He made her proud. (Note: when you are accepted, it merely means that not only does it mean that you can conjure REAL elements instead of force, but you're able to progress faster. Before you're accepted, it's like your elemental progress is shackled down until she decides to unshackle you so you could realize your true potential with more work.) Lastly, you stated about Tyler's secret being more public now. Yes, it will start being more public as the time goes on. If you knew exactly how far I'm planning then you'd probably faint.
Author Notes:
Well, I must say that I'm quite pleased at how I handled the first tests. The first two were more like Brainteasers. Now we're on to the actual fighting stuff. I set it up that way that whoever set foot onto that place would be easily caught off guard quickly. Luckily Reggie was there to remind them of Orichai's advice. Would you believe that I wrote all of this within three hours just now. When I started typing, I couldn't stop. I spent the entire week catching up on all the updating of the stories that are on my favorites lists. Also, I have my college final exams for the semester coming up. I thought I might need to apologize for later than usual updating but I guess now's not that case.
Review and tell me how you loved the chapter.