Chapter 12- Making Choices

Rowan

When the letter from Ravenwood came, it was no surprise. I had been expecting it for a long time, since I had been displaying signs of magic for a year or so. Strange things always happened to me, like the sound of bones clinking together wherever I went, and spirits speaking with me. I guess it was to be expected when I was placed in the school of Death, although I couldn't help but be disappointed. I came from a long line of prestigious Conjurers, so I was now considered the one and only blight on my family's pure history. My parents were less than pleased, but they at least tried to be supportive. The rest of my family had practically disowned me when they heard the news.

This is why, when I sat in a chair in the headmaster's office, awaiting my wand, spell book, and robes, my mood was less than peachy. In fact, I was fuming. Right before I had left for Ravenwood, my insufferable older sister, Diana, had pushed me down the stairs of our apartment in Marleybone, casted a blood bat on me, and called me a loser. I don't like Diana.

"Rowan Shadowbrand?" Ambrose called out my name, and I walked over to his desk. He informed me of the sad state of the Death school, and since it appeared to be missing, I didn't have a class to attend this morning. I could go speak to Malorn Ashthorn, and he could train me a spell, but that was about it.

Since I had nothing better to do, I decided to check out my dorm. I had already purchased a map of Wizard City back in Marleybone, so I had a fairly good idea of where everything was. I exited the headmaster's office, and walked through the bustling Commons towards the tunnel to Ravenwood. The crisp January air bit through my thin black Novice robes, but I tried to ignore it. After entering Ravenwood, I saw the two dorm towers on either side of me.

I just stood there for a minute, waiting for someone to enter either one of the towers so that I would know which one was the girls' and which was for the boys. After a few minutes, a tall boy wearing purple and yellow robes entered the tower to my right. That must have been the boy's dorms. I entered the tower to the left, and emerged in a small round lobby-like room. A narrow staircase wound up from the back of the room.

I then realized that I had absolutely no clue which room was mine. I could ascend the staircase and just hope that I would eventually find it, or I could wait around for someone to come by and help me. I decided to stay in the warm lobby, because the thought of climbing up all of those stairs to no particular destination tired me.

Eventually, a short girl with pale blonde hair and startling ice blue eyes entered the room. She looked a few years older than me, and wore a long white and blue coat buttoned up to her neck, winter boots, and a light blue scarf. On her head was a white hat that resembled something like a beret. An icy breeze followed her into the room, lingering even after she shut the door. The girl had to be an Ice wizard.

The girl walked swiftly past me, heading for the stairs. "Hey!" I shouted quickly, "Can you help me? I'm new and I can't find my dorm." She turned around and frowned at me.

"What's your name?" she sighed, walking over to a book podium I had failed to notice.

"Rowan Shadowbrand," I said, and she began flipping through the pages of the book. "Thanks," I added. She just nodded, and then ran her index finger down the text.

"Rowan Shadowbrand, Room 4, Floor 23," she said, then turned and ran up the stairs. I didn't even get to thank her. I chased after her, at least wanting to find out her name, but she ascended the twenty-three flights of stairs far too fast for my out of shape legs to carry me. When I finally reached the Twenty-third floor, I saw a door slam at the end of the hall. I walked over and looked at the number, Room 5. I was neighbors with this girl.

I entered my dorm feeling somewhat dejected, trying to figure out why the girl hadn't wanted to talk to me. Did she know about my family, and how I was the one Death sheep in a herd of Myth sheep? When I thought about it, the girl hadn't seemed very interested in me at all, where if she knew about my family she would have been more cynical. I sighed in defeat, it didn't even matter what she thought anyways.

I looked around my dorm, taking in the standard furniture and the books on the desk in the corner. I shoved the books into my bag, dropped off my suitcases, and headed over to the cafeteria for some food. There was hardly anyone there; everyone must have been in class. I saw a few Death and Balance students sitting scattered throughout the long wooden tables. I made a beeline for the back of the room, where a magic self-cooking buffet was set up. I snatched some toast and bacon, and sat in an empty table in the back.

I pulled out my school books, and started reading. I got so entranced in "The History of Death Magic" that I hardly noticed when my food went cold. When I finally put my book down, my whole plate of food sat cold and untouched, and people started coming in for lunch.

I stuffed some cold toast in my mouth, and contemplated my secondary school. Secondary classes started after lunch, and I would have to choose one. The obvious choice was Myth, because maybe then my family would be less disappointed in me. But secretly, I had a small interest in the Storm school. Although, I knew if I chose Storm my family would certainly disown me. Myth hated Storm.

A few people came and sat down at the end of my table, disturbing my thoughts. There were three boys and one girl. They all chattered excitedly. "I absolutely hate Drake," the boy in yellow and royal blue robes groaned. Professor Drake was the Myth teacher, and now I was absolutely dreading the end of lunch. "He always gives so much homework! And he's so mean to some of the kids."

"That's why I hate Myth, you want less homework, Caleb?" another boy in dark purple and gold robes laughed. "Come release your INNER THUNDA!" The Myth boy, Caleb groaned at this.

"You Storm wizards, always going on about your inner thunder…" Caleb smirked.

"See? This is exactly why I chose Fire!" The girl sneered, setting off her silvery eyes. She flipped her bright red hair haughtily and drew flames in the air with her wand.

They all then turned to the boy at the end of the table, as if searching for a final verdict. He wore white robes with a maroon trim, and seemed extremely preoccupied. His golden eyes were fixed on someone at the empty table to the left. I leaned forward subtly, trying to see what he was looking at. The girl from the dorms sat at the table, quietly eating a plate of bacon by herself. She held a piece of bacon in one hand, and an Ice book in the other.

The girl at our table groaned excessively. "Come on Dylan, she isn't even worth your time." She spat the words out.

"Yeah, didn't she turn you down anyways?" the Storm boy questioned.

"Guys…" the Balance looking kid, Dylan, said, shaking his head. He sighed. "Why do you care anyways?" he said, somewhat angrily.

"'Cause she's a loser," the girl muttered under her breath.

"Keena!" Caleb said warningly.

"You know what? It doesn't even matter. You guys are right." Dylan sighed sadly, looking down at his half eaten sandwich.

I looked over for the girl from the dorms, but she was missing. It then occurred to me that they had been talking very loudly, and it wasn't like our tables were very far apart. She had probably heard every word that they had said. I suddenly felt bad for her. No matter who she was, she had feelings, and what they had said wasn't very nice.

I sat there for a while longer, munching on cold bacon and trying to read my book until the bell rang. When I finally heard the melodic chiming of the Ravenwood school bells, I booked it for the Myth classroom. I crept open the door, and took a seat in the very back. I didn't want to be there, but I didn't see much of a choice. Students with all different colors of robes started pouring in, and soon the classroom was filled.

Cyrus Drake, the Myth teacher, stood from his desk and assessed us. "I see we have a new student…" He said in a bored and disapproving tone. I was already regretting coming in here. "What is your name?" he said to me, sneering.

"R-r-rowan. Rowan Shadowbrand." I had stuttered, I had actually stuttered. Never in my whole thirteen years of life had I ever actually stuttered. Drake unnerved me. A few kids in the front of the class snickered at me, teacher's pets, I guessed.

"Are your parents Kiera Mythblood and Sean Legendwalker?" he said, stretching out the words. I nodded. He smirked. "I didn't expect to see you in my Secondary class. Your parents must be very disappointed." That triggered another round of vicious snickers from the front of the class.

I set my head down on the desk, forcing back tears. I. Did. Not. Want. To. Be. Here. I took a deep shuddering breath.

"Rowan Shadowbrand, there will be no nap taking in my class. You have detention in the Myth tower after class."

That was it. I had reached my boiling point. Maybe it was Drake's demeaning comments, or maybe it was the simple fact that I absolutely hated Myth, but I found myself standing up, and walking straight out of the classroom. My parents would just have to disown me, because I wasn't going to put up with Myth.

Before I even noticed where I was going, I found myself opening the door to the Storm classroom. "Sorry I'm late," I murmured as every face turned towards me. "I'm Rowan Shadowbrand, I'd like to take this class…"

The teacher, a small frog in a purple suit, stared at me for a moment. "Yes, yes of course. We always welcome new students to come release their INNER THUNDA! Sit down, sit down, please," he said cheerfully. I took the empty seat in the back, next to another Death student. She gave me a shy smile.

The class went on, and I felt all my worked up tension from the Myth classroom evaporate. Everyone in Storm was so nice and friendly, and the spells were fascinating. Before I knew it, the class was over and the bell was chiming.

I went back to my dorm for the night and finished reading all of my Death school books, hoping that I could learn another spell from Malorn tomorrow.