Wandless Ch 3
3. Its Time
."You're the cheetah. You're the one from Sasha's vision." Darion turned back to look at Sasha smiling, looking at his mother. The frown crept in as he turned back towards the woman. "Mr Baba, I will assume you do not speak Xhosa. Your father was never one for tradition. Either way I will escort you to the school, you're a couple days early for Ukuhlela but there are some students who don't leave the school in between semester, they will help you get adjusted. My name is Professor Lahja Nuuyoma I teach beginning transformations. You may know it as the beginnings of becoming an Animagus" The professor walks into the foot of the mountain, Darion watches on as Professor Lahja began to walk into the mountain, passing through it as if it was a curtain. The professor stops halfway in the magical curtain bisecting her at the waist. "You may wait here Eliana, your mother in law should be here any second to take you to the estate. Mr Baba please follow me and Mr Nuuyoma into school grounds." Entering into the mountains Professor Lahja glides her hand above her head. For the first time he noticed a large tiger standing behind a bush. The tiger begins to stand up, shrink, its bones begin to morph as the tiger turned into a teenager smiling. "I was just having fun mother, come on new boy" Professor Lahja sucks her teeth continuing through the veil "My apologies Darion, My name is Achebe, I will help you get familiar with everything, except classes you are on your own. I sure hope those american schools are not as bad as they sound" Achebe walks around from the bush and walk into the veil.
Darion begins to walk forward and stops, he turns around and stares at his mother and Sasha. He starts to walk back when from a spot aparates who he now knows as his grandmother. She continued a walk out of the apparition stepping to the side of Sasha, her smile was warm as she put her hand out to the side over Sasha's head. Eliana blows Darion a kiss and then grabs Sasha's hand then grabs Grandma's hand. Sasha quickly waves at Darion and is aparated away. Darion looks for a second then turns back around and walks into the veil stopping half way in to see the veil of magic flicker as the false mountains and grass flow in and out of his clothes.
Darion steps through the veil and is awestruck looking into the inner mountain lined with faces of people and animals. Lion, a bird, an Elephant, and a snake. "This is some Black Panther, Wakanda shit" Darion looking up trips over a rock stumbling forward. Darion puts his hand out to brace his fall but is stopped. " Do you know that spell? In English its called Arresto Momentum. It stops motion." Achebe smiles, righting Darions angel. "Do you want to know there names?" Darion grinds his teeth and stands up. He dusts himself off. Achebe laughs seeing that there is no dirt on his clothes. "Achebe and Njia ya Hekima, the Elephant, a symbol of wisdom. That's where I got my name from" Achebe points to the Elephant and the square jawed man cut into stone. "Rashidi, Vipaji vya Cassowary the Cassowary the symbol of freedom and independence, the wild ones." Achebe using one hand lazily points to the bird and a woman with a large nose and dreads cut into stone. " My house, Nichelle the house of the snake, creativity." Achebe turns around and his head is morphed into a hissing cobra head. Darion jumps back putting his firsts up. Mouth open Achebe's head shrinks and morphs back to normal then laughs. "Finally, Kacela the Lion, courage and strength. The house of my mother" Achebe stops and looks up to the lioness mouth open wide. Achebe turns towards the woman chin up with a straight face cut into stone. "Lioness, the translation is Kacela the lioness" Lahja speaks up from the top of the stairs. Darion and Achebe look towards the end of the mountain corridor. Achebe walks forward waving Darion behind him. "Well come on, she wont wait on us long. Unless you want to walk to the school. Darion sighed heavily as he watched Professor Lahja as she apparates while walking through the archway at the end of the corridor. "Ohh come on, why does everyone have to aparate. I don't think my stomach can take it." Darion stops and kicks a rock.
Darion slowly walks down the corridor and up the stairs. "Come on Darion Baba, dont be a scaredy cheetah, there is a very low chance that something would happen during an apparition." Achebe walks backwards up the stairs. "First of all, I think the term is scardy cat and what do you mean by very low chance. What percentage are we talking about?" Achebe stops and looks at Darion and begins counting his fingers one by one "at least five percent" Achebe laughs and continues to back up the stairs. "That's not zero percent, hey Acheebee, thats not zero" Achebe corrects Darion on his name pronouncement then bows back and steps into the doorway aparating away. "Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck. Ok just walk through,if i hold my breath my stomach should be fine, or maybe if i breathe out. Just do it, Nike this shit and just do it." Darion exhales hard several times and runs through the doorway, coming through the doorway he tackles Achebe eyes still closed.
"Agh, what are you doing Mr Baba, you are just supposed to walk through. Your momentum is carried through as you come out. A port key is a direct transfer from one spot to another. Get off of me! Its not a portal its more of a wormhole." Achebe pushes Darion off of him and stands up. "When you look at the physicality of apparition or a port key, your body is compressed and sped up to something within the realm of the speed of sound, then when you get to your destination your uncompressed and the weight of your body has to slow down because of the property of matter". Darion's eyes begin to glaze as he stands up. He puts his hands over his head, "I give up, please stop torturing me. How old are you again? This isnt the TED talk I signed up for, you talk like a professor." Darion stands up now dusting actual dust from the ground off. Darion rubs his ribs on the left side. "The children at Uagadou study hard and know how the world works. Did you think we were all savages riding on top of lions?" Professor Lahja speaks up standing in front of Darion and Achebe. Darion looks at the professor curiously then immediately expecting. "Ohh come on, you've never watched Earth on Netflix or National Geographic. Ignorance will be your downfall here mister Baba. You are a first year so obviously your success in academia will have some leeway. I have signed you up for Xhosa language class and you will have tutoring on the history of magic in Africa. You might want to also take some Youtube University course on Africa proper" Professor Lahja continues to walk.
Darion finally notices an underground city. Lights everywhere, little lego like blocks in the walls some bigger some smaller. Darion continues in awe, he looks up to the towering ceiling in this cave. There seemed to be hundreds of faces that look at the students surveying and monitoring. They seemed to be talking to each other. "Want to know what they are talking about? I will take you to ilitye lendlebe, the hearing stone" Achebe stands next to Darion and ushers him forward. Achebe ushered Darion over an archway directly in front of the archway. Darion looks to the left to see another set of stone stairs that look to be going to a river before being ushered forward by Achebe. Darion and Achebe walked across the arch when a huge green a black snake lifted itself from under the arch and began to wrap its self around Achebe. Achebe didn't freak out like Darion was. Darion stepped back several steps. "Don't worry Darion. Would you like to introduce your self my darling?" The large snake lifts its head up over Achebe's head and its long forked tongue flicked several times then sunk behind Achebe's head. The body of the snake shrinks and becomes more of a dark green robe, the tails of the robe fall and shrink to fit a tall, taller than Achebe and Darion combined, dark skinned woman with sharp features. "molweni sithandwa sam" Achebe interrupts "My love, he doesnt speak Xhosa. English when we are around him, it would be cringe". Achebe softly grabs her face and kisses her chin, then her nose then her lips, they kiss for more than a moment. Professor Lahja whistles. Achebe and the other girl stop kissing and apologize to the professor. "Uxolo mama" Achebe pinches her butt. "Sorry mama, I was just introducing myself to the new boy." Professor Lahja turns around and continues walking farther ahead of them. "Sorry for my rudeness, my name Buhle Isilwanyana, soon to be missus Nuuyoma. Welcome to Uagadou". Buhle kisses Achebe on the chin then the nose then on the lips and starts to walk away when her body lengthens, twists, and curves before thinning slightly back into large snake. Darion walks forward and gives Achebe a look of adoration. "She's a hugger", Achebe smiles and continues to usher Darion across the archway. Darion looks back and realizes that the bridge has been building itself ahead of them and deconstructing itself behind them.
Achebe explains that the bridge leads to anywhere you walk, Achebe starts to deviate from the path that Professor Lahja. The road splits with them. Professor Lahja looks back to see this demonstration and continues walking. Achebe walks, lifting his leg higher than it would need to go, the road lifts up under his feet as he begins to walk upwards. Darion attempts to lift his leg up but steps down hard. Achebe now above Darion looks down at him. "You need to have the intent of walking up and the road will feel that intention and fufill your needs". Darion looks up with a face that says what did he say. "Thats not how gravity works" Darion starts to yell up but lowers his voice realizing that Achebe is five feet above him. "Don't you understand where you are? This is a world of magic, this is by all accounts the metaphysical, the abstract. Your mind, your spirit, the ancestors would say umoya. You understand magic in a western term, you think that knowing the spell and how you wave your wand makes you a good witch or wizard. In Africa, at Uagadou to know a spell is to know it in your very spirit. Thats why we dont need to use wands, once you know and understand a spell as an extension of umoya." Achebe walks in circles around Darion, horizontally, vertically, diagonally. Achebe twists his middle finger over his pointer and rotates his wrist counter clockwise. Darions clothes revert back to his black t-shirt with the Tutshill logo, straight leg blue jeans and black Jordans. "How the hell, how did you know i wore that" Darion looks at his Jordans covered in dust and dirt. "I did not have to. A kid from the projects of Toledo, Ohio doesnt wear a suit that a celebrity wears to a red carpet premiere". Achebe walks back down next to Darion continuing the walk forward, leading the archway back to the main archway.
Professor Lahja starts to walk up as the road angles up going towards what looks like a large cube inside of 3 other cubes towards the ceiling of this mountain. The road begins to create stairs and Professor Lahja begins to walk up. Achebe and Darion walk up the stairs "How old are you Achebe, you know so much and you're about to be married? Thats alot where I come from." Darion still looking around in aww. "I don't live in a hut, I don't hunt lions. But I found a girl that I love and I intend on marrying her." Achebe putting his hands in his pocket, continues up the stairs. Darion looks away ashamed then looks back up. They both continue now only thirty yards behind Professor Lahja. "Tell me Darion what magic do you know, what have you been taught by your mother" Darion bites his cheek and looks at the stone caverns to his right frustrated by the question. "I know Accio and Lumos, its just basic but technically you are only supposed practice magic under the supervision of a licensed educator of magic. Meaning at a school or at a place with teachers or teachers." Achebe laughs out loud grabbing Darions shoulders."Interesting, I know of the spell accio, it is used to bring something to you. So That is going to be the hardest thing for you to understand about Uagadou. Unlike the western world. North America, South America places like that they use the same conventions of magic naming and language when it comes to magic. In Africa we do have names for magic and there are a couple of ones that we use like you all. We have Alohamora, and because the french came so long ago, we also have Arresto Momentum. There are others but there is a book that talks about all of it." Darion puts his hand out and calls out Lumos, nothing happens, he puts his two middle fingers in the center of his palm and imitates the rock and roll horns, but nothing happens.
Achebe continues to walk a few steps and then stops turning around to watch Darion. The ground morphs creating a circular stage with glowing circular lines. Achebe flicks his wrist and a spark of light shoots from his hand and hits the ground at Darion's feet. Darion jumps back, and grabs for his pocket then puts his fists up. Achebe layers his arms left over right with each hand next to the opposite elbow creating what looks like a martial arts pose, fingers looking like claws. "Attack me Darion. Do something, you have the knowledge of other spells, you know what they do. Imagine what they do put your hand out and feel the spell." Darion shakes his arms out and twists his face up. Darion bounces up and down a couple of times and throws out both hand and yells out attempting to cast the Depulso spell. Achebe imitates calling back then stops and laughs. "Try again, the same spell, Depulso you called it." Darion shakes out his hands and whispers something under his breath, then yells out Depulso. Nothing happens. "Think, away. Focus on pushing Achebe away." Professor Lahja speaks up from a landing several feet up the stairs. Darion nods and pulls his hand back, throwing it forward Darion yells Depulso. "Interesting, very." Achebe lowers his hands and straightens his shirt. Achebe looks behind him to see that the stone was cleaned as if a power washer had been on it. "Damn, ok I have some practice to do. I mean it wasn't that bad right" Darion says, stretching his fingers and cracking his knuckles. Achebe walks up to him, patting him on the shoulders then turns him around to show all of the stone behind him was cracked and partially destroyed. The stone began to put itself back together and separate completing the path leading back to the stairs."Well, at least the magic is in your umphefumlo."
Darion and Achebe continue up the stairs to the landing that Professor Lahja. Professor Lahja lifts her hand in the air and makes several shapes then lowers her hand. The stone moves, crumbling and changing shape until a large opening is formed. The light is blinding, Darion shields his eyes but as his pupils adjust and the vast city like campus. Buildings that look like they sprouted from the ground and took shape. Darions mouth was left agape seeing animals walk by and dip their heads as if to nod. People walking next to animals speaking as if having a conversation. Professor Lahja led Achebe and Darion into this wide valley. Darion wide eye'd strained to get a look at every animal and building while trying to keep up with professor Lahja as they arrived at a large open temple. Darion flinches as something makes contact with his leg, he turns around to see a penguin rubbing against his leg. "Uhh, you're not supposed to be here penguin buddy" Darion squats down. Darion has to look up as the Penguin grows to the size of a human. A female wearing a black pencil skirt with a white button down blouse and striped black and yellow tie. A fair skinned, blonde, blue eye'd girl. "Well thank you for noticing, but African Penguins are a thing and they hang around South Africa," The girl curtsies. "Ohh so you're from South Africa," Darion eyes widen and he bows. Achebe looks at Darion "We do not do that here" Darion chuckles nervously at the comment." Its ok, you're American. There is a lot you need to learn, luckily there is a class for international students." The fair skinned girl strokes Darions face and walks away. Achebe smiles at Darion and ushers him further toward the open temple. Approaching the temple Achebe shows Darion the temple, five pillars. The four pillars that face the outside of the barrier of the school show the founders and symbols of the houses. The fifth pillar is mostly bear except for a hand print. Achebe explains that as if it were a game, people place there hand there to see where they might end up, they do it before the sorting ceremony in order to get an idea where they might go. "Well mister Baba, it is time. Let us see where your soul and the founders think you should go."
Darion walks over to the fifth pillar and places his hand hesitantly in the hand recess. The pillars explode with energy kicking up dust and debris from the ground. The pillars light up, and Achebe waves over several people passing by. The lit pillars pulse and after they stop, They all light up. Darion looks back at Achebe noticing now 40 people standing around looking at a spectacle. "What does that mean, am I the next Hokage or what?" Darion smiles boastfully. Achebe walks over to him. "It does not mean anything, it means that you show no particular trait that matches the houses. It does not happen often but enough. It just means your American" Achebe laughs and walks away from the temple.
