Okay, this chapter is just basically me trying to make sense of all the random ideas that are floating round my head, so I apologise if it's a little confusing.
Ray wakened slowly. He lay still, eyes closed, random thoughts skittering through his mind.
There's three main types of magician. Mage, sorcerer, and enchanter. Magi rely on elements, and the two types of magicians that can change people's thoughts or states of mind or sorceror and enchanter. Tyson and I are both mages, while Max is definitely an enchanter, a Singer. Hiwarti...he's a sorcerer...and a very good one. I've never succumbed to a suggestion spell to quite that extent before.
The Four Guardians are all here, as are the spirits. Tortoise, tiger, phoenix, dragon. This must be the strongest generation for centuries.
How did I end up coming here anyway? Oh yes, I remember...
Once every other generation, exactly three years after the last Guardian discovers their powers, the elders call a gathering of all the magicians world-wide. Contrary to what people think, there aren't actually all that many. The main power is us, the Guardians, the descendants of the first four magicians. Those first Guardians, at the dawn of their powers, were entrusted with the protection of the four sacred spirits. In return, they were granted magic unlike any others. Singers are always Mizuhara, Sorcerers are always Hitwarti, Lightning-Callers are always Kons and Storm-Callers are always Granger. Of course, a Guardian will occasionally have different powers, and most have aditional powers.
Every other generation, one child per family will be chosen by the spirits at birth to be the next Guardian. The child will be tattooed with the traditional tattoo when they turn one year old. That child now has the powers of their families' sacred spirit infused in them for life.
The gathering is a time for the four guardians to meet, and for everyone to prove their powers in battle.
I wonder what the time is? Dragging himself out of his light doze, he sat up and squinted out of the window. He reckoned it to be about nine o'clock in the morning. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he started searching for his bag, despite knowing that it was probably still in the hall.
"What are you looking for, Master Kon?" A girl's voice interrupted his search. He looked up. A young slave-girl stood next to the doorway. She was probably no more than fifteen, with short, spiky brown hair and large brown eyes. She was thin, gaunt even, but still managed to look attractive in a slightly boyish way. No hips. Ray found himself noticing. Not a bad bust, though.
"My bag," Ray answered. "I think it's still in the hall."
"Oh, your bag! Yes, Master Granger brought it in last night. Here." She held out a large woven bag, dyed green. With a nod of thanks, Ray accepted the bag and started rummaging through it.
"You can go now." he said absentmindedly.
"Thank you, Master Kon." the girl answered demurely, bobbing a curtsey and moving quickly from the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Ray found what he wanted and started getting dressed. He tied his long black hair up with a strip of emerald cloth, then slipped on an ankle-length robe. The robe was black, with two images of the sacred tiger spirit, Driger, on the front and back. The image on the back of the robe was green, with plants curling around it, while the image on the front was yellow, with lightning bolts forming a rough circle around it. He pulled on a pair of black moccasins and stood up, walking out of the room to try and find Tyson and Max, and/or breakfast.
"So, how was he?"
"He was fine, Master Granger. No ill effects whatsoever."
"What have I told you about calling me-"
"Well, that's easy for you to say!" snapped the young slave-girl who had been in Ray's room only minutes before, her submissive appearance dropping completely. "You don't have to worry that you might accidentally slip up and call one of the Guardians "Tyson" in the middle of the hall! I really don't want to be put in the isolation room again, it's freezing in there, and if you think for one minute, I'm-" Her argument was cut off by Tyson bending down and kissing her passionately. Refusing to respond, the girl pulled herself free and stared up at him angrily. "Not here, not now!" she hissed. "What if somebody sees us, you stupid idiot?" Tyson gave a lazy grin.
"What if they do? Hitwatari gets off with everyone who comes within a ten mile radius and no one minds!" The young girl's face softened, and she reached up on tiptoe and brushed her lips gently across his cheek.
"Because this is different." she whispered. She gave him a quick hug, then picked up her discarded basket of dirty clothes and left the room. Tyson sat heavily down on the bed.
"Yes, it's different." he murmured. Not only was he in love with someone who wasn't a magician, or even in a magical family, she was a slave, bound to service until her master decided to set her free. Also, she was two years younger than him. The Elders would not approve. "Why does life have to be so complicated?" he groaned, standing up and going in search of breakfast. Nothing like food to make everything seem much simpler!
Max sat up and groaned. His head felt like it was about to split. He knew he shouldn't have had that sixth glass of wine, damn it!
"What have I told you?" an amused voice said from beside him. "If you can't handle the morning after, don't do it the night before!"
"Shut up, Oliver!" Max ordered, lying back down again and curling up in a ball. "I'm going back to sleep!"
"Oh, are you?" was the confusing reply. Dismissing it, Max closed his eyes, wincing at the ceaseless pounding in his head. Suddenly, he felt two arms creep round him, lifting him up.
"Go away!" he said weakly.
"No. You know that you're not allowed to sleep in. Even when you're hungover." Max felt himself being gently lifted upright, then pulled out of bed. He lay limply in Oliver's arms, determined not to help in any way, seeking the painless oblivion of sleep. "Oh no you don't. Drink this and wake up! We're going to get breakfast."
"Urgh...there is not a chance in this world that I'll be eating anything until tomorrow. Or possibly the day after that..."
"Maxim Mizuhara, if you can groan that much, there is no reason why you should be in bed!" Grudgingly, Max accepted the mug of black coffee that Oliver was offering him and downed half of it in one gulp. He stood up unsteadily, glad of Oliver's supporting arm and grabbed his clothes, dressing quickly in a light grey T-shirt and a pair of dark blue shorts. "Come on," Oliver gave his cheek a light kiss, having got dressed himself over ten minutes ago. "Let's go."
Ray sat down at the neatly set out table, each place having two plates, a bowl, and knives, forks and spoons. His stomach reminding him just how long it had been since he had eaten a proper meal, he picked up a large chunk of thick bread and started spreading it with butter. A strong wind gusted through the room, pulling out a chair and lifting three pieces of bread and six pieces of bacon onto the place beside him.
"Hello, Tyson." Ray mumbled through a mouthful of bread, looking up to where the other boy was walking towards him.
"Morning, Ray," Tyson replied, sitting down in the chair he had pulled out. "How are you?"
"Fine, thanks." Ray answered. "What about you?" Tyson shrugged.
"I've been better."
"What, did you have a bad night?"
"Something like that." Tyson said evasively. They both looked up as someone took the seat opposite Tyson. "God, Max, you look like something heavy just got off you!" Tyson laughed. Ray winced at how forced the laugh sounded. Max, despite looking half-asleep, noticed it as well. His blue eyes narrowed and he began studying Tyson with the intensity of a painter examining his latest masterpiece for flaws.
"Max, are you all right?" Ray asked, taking in Max's pale face and bloodshot eyes. Max gave him a thin smile.
"I drank too much last night." was all he said.
"Make sure he eats something, would you?" a voice asked from a few places down the table.
"Yeah, Oliver, don't worry, they'll make sure I do." Max droned, with the air of someone who has said the same thing many times over. Ray looked down the table at the boy called Oliver, who grinned at him.
"Hello, you're Kon, aren't you?" he asked. Ray nodded. "Pleased to meet you. I'm Oliver." He hesitated for a minute, looking as though he would like to say something else, glancing sideways at Max, but after a few seconds closed his mouth and returned to his food. Confused, Ray did likewise aware of Max and Tyson talking intently in quiet whispers. Unconsciously, Ray's acute hearing started picking up bits of the conversation.
"Tyson, you are so stupid-"
"Well, at least I'm not the one who's hungover!"
"No, you're the one who's-" Embarrassed, Ray focused on the table, the food, anything to keep from overhearing what was clearly supposed to be a private conversation. Private argument the heartless part of him insisted. Annoyed with himself, he tore a piece of bread off of the loaf he had on his plate and chewed it vigorously. Suddenly, just as they had last night, the doors at the far end of the hall swung open, silencing everyone. Hitwatari stood in the doorway.
"The tournament starts today." was all he said before beckoning for four people sitting near the front to follow him. As the doors slammed shut behind them, the hall started buzzing, as everyone leaned in to discuss with their neighbours what this meant.
"Great." Tyson said quietly. "More rituals." Ray made a sympathetic noise, but inside, he was quivering with excitement, Hitwatari's words ringing in his mind.
The tournament starts today.
Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! All ideas and comments are welcome, especially if I spell anything wrong. Review, please!