"Take your seats! Please take your seats!" The phrase was heard over and over throughout the hall, teachers shouting it at the top of their lungs, trying to make themselves heard over the din. Then a commanding voice cut through the babble in the hall like a Swiss Army knife through, well like a Swiss Army knife through anything.
"If you would all be so kind as to take your seats, we can begin."
Derek's head jerked up to look at the teacher's table. A tall man with jet black heir with streaks of white running through it, that was sticking out at all ends. He was standing in the center of the platform.
"I guess that's got to be Moonshine then" said a voice behind Derek. Again Derek turned around. This time to see a boy with curly blond hair, and green eyes, or maybe they were blue, Derek couldn't tell. "Hi my name is Jason." said the boy with a smile.
"I'm Derek." was his reply. "So that's Moonshine huh, I've heard a lot about him. Is it true that he used to be one of the King's Secret Sorcerers?"
"Yeah, I heard that if he catches you out of bounds, he'll put a spell on you so you can't walk for a week."
"Whoa."
"Greetings to all our new students and a hearty welcome back to all of our returning scholars. A few rules for you new students or some of you who might need a reminder." With this last remark Moonshine looked over to a particularly rowdy table of boys. "Our first and most important rule is that you are not to try magic you haven't been taught yet. Secondly, Swords or daggers are not to be drawn at any time besides Dueling or Forge class. Lastly as many of you know, this academy is host to a very valuable gift." A hush fell over the students, even the boys in the corner fell silent. Moonshadow's voice had dropped to almost a whisper, but everyone in the hall could hear him quite clearly. "This school is home to the most valuable things in all of Yaravmin. The dragon eggs. Feel free to go up to the eggs touch them, look at them, for that is the only way that they will hatch." This was said so quietly you could not have heard him if even the wind whispered. Then, at long last, the silence was broken by a long drawn out stomach growl. "Well I can see that it is time to eat!" exclaimed Moonshine. "Hara ku mazoth saí resm!" he said with a commanding air. He spread his arms out, palms up, and all of a sudden, each tale was laid with a feast that could feed nations. Goblets were filled with a clear liquid, platters of food made the table groan under their weight.
"What did he just say?" Derek asked incredulously.
"He said 'Let the food be served' obviously, don't you know anything?" came a malicious voice behind Derek. He turned around to see a tall girl standing there. She tossed her fiery red hair indignantly, and walked away. The tall pale boy who was behind her smirked, and then quickly scampered after the girl.
"Who was that?" Derek asked.
"The arrogant one is Eva, her shadow's name is Tom." Jason explained. Derek soon forgot what Ea had said to him as he indulged in the feast laid out before him. ON the table was a pile of beautifully cut steak, clouds of mashed potatoes, bowls full of fruits and vegetables. Derek eagerly piled everything on his plate and dug in. When he picked up his goblet and put it to his lips to take a drink, he was met with a strange sensation. What he had taken for water was the complete opposite. The first sensation was a burning on his tongue, as if the drink was loaded with spices, but then as it slid down his throat it was as cool as ice.
Once everyone had had their fill of the food, Moonshine stood up again.
Now that all have been fed and watered, I de believe it is time to go to bed. Boy's dormitories to the left, girl's to the right. Good night." Immediately, the sound of chairs scrapping against the hardwood floor could be heard all throughout the hall. The babble arose again as people jostled to get out of the hall, eager to get to bed.
Derek and Jason joined the throng around the door. They filed out of the hall and down the main corridor. As they came to the end of the hallway, they entered a large rotunda. Although it was well past sunset, there was a shaft of light that fell through the center and onto a circle of six pedestals. On each of the pedestals was a cushion the same color as the large shinny rock sitting on top of it. A large group of kids stopped and stood around the circle. In the center of the ring was carved an inscription. It read
Lo ku siere barad kachel losan tes saí orden.
Vel toka ani tradi sala eno sen yam.
Olen, Nadur, Roha, un Breesheer,
Ta yaider tesa usan quen rekis sen monte.
Derek leaned over the whisper to Jason. "Hey Jase, do you know wha…"
"In the time of darkness there shall be light. Though many have tried only one is right. Earth, Water, Wind and fire, their master shall arise when need is dire. Yes a most peculiar prophesy." Derek's head whipped around. He squinted through the darkness. A woman was walking towards the children through the gloom. "It points to the one that shell rise to unit the land again. Now off to bed, all of you."
As Jason walked up to the arch that indicated the beginning of the boys dorms, he was surrounded by a shimmering sphere of light. He looked around himself with surprise, and then he shrugged and moved on. It was Derek's run now. He stepped up and was engulfed by the same sphere of light. In the sphere of light words began to form.
Welcome Derek
You are staying in the West dorm on the third floor. You will find all of your luggage there.
Above these words appeared an arrow that pointed straight ahead. Derek followed it.
He now found himself in a large rotunda like the one outside the mess hall. The difference with this rotunda was that the walls had four sets of double doors, one at each of the four points of the compass etched into the floor.
Derek turned to his left and walked towards the set of double doors they opened by themselves. "Typical at a magic school I guess." He thought.
Derek walked through the door. The dormitory was a circular room with fifteen or twenty beds arranged around the wall. Derek glanced around by the foot of each bed looking for his black duffle bag and trunk. He found them on the opposite side of the room. There were curains drawn all around each bed in the room. Derek crossed the floor to his bed. As he drew back the curtains, his body was bathed in a soft green light. There, floating above the bed was an emerald small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. The gem pulsed with an inner light. Derek reached out a hand to touch the emerald. As he cupped the stone, there was a bright flash of light. Words appeared in front of Derek's eyes again.
Arthé, Welcome Derek.
After these words materialized, an arrow appeared pointing to a piece of paper on his bed that he hadn't noticed before.
If you have noticed this piece of paper that means that you have already found your Power Stone. You control the stone through your mind. To activate your stone, make some sort of contact with it and concentrate on the word Unlock. After that the stone will flash red and you will have to concentrate on your password, the default is Mountain. Try this now and then use the command walk-through to learn some of the main features of your stone.
Derek put the paper down and brought the emerald up to his eyes. It looked normal enough, but as it was obvious enough already, this was no normal gemstone. He brought his hands down to his lap and closed his eyes in his mind he formed the word Unlock. To his surprise, the stone did indeed flash red briefly. So he did the next thing the paper had said to do. He formed the next command, his password, Mountain. Then words began to appear in front of his eyes just like they did when he had first touched the stone.
Welcome Derek. How can I be of service?
What exactly are you?
I am your Power Stone.
Do you have a name or something, what do I call you?
You do not call me anything you simply ask questions or issue commands in your mind and I will answer or execute the command.
Can I see my schedule for tomorrow?
Certainly, in the future, after you unlock the stone, use the commands school and then schedule to access the schedule, or just ask to see it.
Magic-8:30
Forge-10:00
Flying-11:00
Lunch-12:00
Language-1:30
Fighting-2:30