After what Storm told me, she mentioned a lot of things like: how strict the Dean is and the cruel lecturers and the best books to read but one thing remained stuck in my head throughout the night; the three student I must stay away from.
She mentioned them with fear and awe and a little bit of familiarity. Number one is: Freya Diruza, the daughter of Saba Diruza who happens to be the dean of the Academy. Freya showed great skill in her element of magic - She is an amazing water mage.
The second one is Ashton Migler. He is known as the Ice prince. His element of magic is also water but he focuses more on ice, giving him the ability to fight exceptionally better than the others.
And the last one is Rainever Grey. He is supposedly 'the most dangerous' and all I need to know about him is that I must stay as far as I can away from him.
Storm told me and I quote, "It said to be a rumor, just a rumor, but Rain Grey killed his parents and half this city went up in flames because of him."
His element of magic is Fire and it was so strong that he set ablaze half his city when he was a kid. She said that ten mages had to come together to make him the suppression necklace which controls his powers else, he could destroy everything.
These are the top three students of Onyx Academy and they are who I must stay away from.
THE NEXT MORNING.
Storm woke me up at the first dawn, ushering me into the bathroom. I showered and when I came out, she'd already kept my clothes with a normal silver bracelet placed on them, but she is not in the room. I was glad else if she sees my tattoos, there will be so many uncomfortable questions.
I slip into the white shirt and black jeans she kept for me, wearing the green jacket on top. I combed my short brown hair and tied it into a low ponytail then hooked the bracelet around my wrist.
Storm came in as I was concluding the last step of my dress up. I put the shoes on and get to my feet with a sharp exhale.
"You look nice. So today is the first class of this session and it's Professor Sickly's class. We really don't want to be late." She emphasized. "Let's go. Come on."
She took my hand and dragged me with. We headed to the school cafeteria where I had the most delicious banana bread with almond milk and then we left for the first class. I expected us to be confined in a four cornered room with a roof on our heads but to my surprise, we are standing in an open field. There were many students around, impatiently waiting for the lecturer.
Prof. Sickly I took it, arrived in a brown suit with glasses resting on his grumpy pale face. He darts his blue eyes on the students' faces with bottled rage. He must hate his job.
He stands in the middle and we all circled around him.
He brings his fist an inch to his lips and cleared his throat to address us, "Welcome boys and girls to Onyx Academy. This is where your life changes for the better or goes completely down the drain; it is your choice to make." He paused briefly, scanning the crowd, "Each and everyone of you is here for a reason: a dream, a reality check, and for others even …Love - which is definitely a stupid reason to be here." His voice was loud and deep enough to resonate through the ears of the hundred students that surrounded him.
Sickly continued, "You will go through three important lessons that will determine your success in this school. And they are the basics, the advanced, and lastly, the final lessons of your journey here." He paused again, this time his eyes briefly falling on my face. He gave me a weird look as his eyes squinted slightly and then he looked away, "I am Professor Darius Sickly and I will be the one guiding you through the Basics. First, we will examine your physical, emotional, and mental state which will determine your success that will advance you to the second class. Some already know their element of magic and for those who are yet to know can come meet me after this class at my office. Now do you all see the table there?" He motioned towards a desk placed a few feet away from us, "On that table, you will find different object: gems and weapons for you to use for the physical examination which will commence in ten minutes. Pick the object that speaks to you and stand by the starting line." He commanded and walked away.
The students troop towards the desk. I was reluctant but is relieved knowing that Storm is with me.
"The basics is just to check how healthy we are and what our magic of element is. The advanced classes is where all the juice is. It is the classes where we will choose what type of mage we wish to become. I want to be a warrior mage like Almira Brown, what about you?"
Her question plunged me into contemplation; I have no idea what I want to be.
"For now, I just want to get through the basics." I answered.
"Okay. That will do too. I already know my element by the way. I always had a thing with wind. I hope you are wind too." She giggled, curling her hand around my arm as she pulled me towards the desk.
I notice different gems and weapons like: daggers, knives, arrows.
"What are we using this for?" I asked.
"These are not what they seem." I can feel the excitement laced in her tone, "The red stone is for invisibility, the green one turns you into a tree for a moment, the blue one is for lightning and the white one is for rain. The dagger is poisonous and kills, these small knives can become giant ones if you activate them by filling the transparent stone on the handle with energy while the arrow never misses a target."
"And why do we need all of these things?"
She shrugged and said, "It's for the physical examination, you do know that much, right?"
I didn't, but I can't admit it so I only shot her a smile.
"Now listen." She leaned, "I am not abandoning you or anything like that but this examination is every man for himself, so you will have to fend for yourself, alone."
"Wait …what?" I sharply looked at her, "I-I don't think I can do this alone. I don't even understand half the shit here and you expect me to go alone?"
"Relax." she took my hand and gave me a gentle squeeze, "You might be weak but you will be fine. You just have to fight some beasts and other students to reach the finish line."
"What?" I panicked even more.
"Look, relax, I haven't done it before either. We do have some students who are repeating the class so you have to be careful and just fend for yourself. Good luck Freda. Let's win this." She picked a green stone and walked to the starting line.
I stared at the desk in front of me and sighed again. Let's just get on with this shit. Only one black stone was left. As soon as I reached for it, simultaneously, someone also did.
I whip my head sharply at the figure that towered over me, my eyes falling on a face that instantly captures the heart of the viewer.
He is a honey-skinned guy with the most enthralling hazel eyes.
I had to blink twice to see if I wasn't imagining it. Damn. He is hot!
I shake the thought off and tried to take the stone from him but he wouldn't budge.
"What do you think you are doing?" I questioned him.
"I could ask you the same." His deep sultry voice seeped into my ears - sending chills through me.
"What do you mean by 'I could ask you the same?' " I imitated him mockingly. He only chuckled in disbelief, cocking his head to one side with a smirk, "I got to it first so how about you let it go?"
"You got to it first?" I scoffed, "Then how the hell am I holding it?"
He stiffle a groan, "Look, I don't think you understand what is going on right now, do you? Do you even have the slightest idea what this stone is for?"
He was right, I didn't, but I don't care. "What makes you think I don't?" I frowned.
He chuckled again, "Do you know how to use it then?"
"Look, I am not giving up the last object that is on this desk so how about you let it go? I touched it first."
He glared me down and then he raised his hands in surrender, "Okay." He takes a step back when suddenly, his eyes darted to something behind me and they widened. "Don't move." He warned, "There is something behind you."
My eyes instantly bounced to my shoulder as I froze in place, "What is it?"
"Just …Don't. Move." He said.
"What is it?" I asked in a low gritted tone.
He leaned slowly, "It's a spider."
As soon as the words leave his mouth, I screamed and started jumping while slapping my shoulder.
And then I hear him laughing. I stopped and looked at him "Is it gone?"
He snickered, inching closer to me as he bore his eyes deep into mine, "You are really naive, it's fun."
Before I could understand what he meant, he flashed me the black stone now wrapped in his hand.
"You prick!" I tried to snatch it from him but he dodged even before I could reach his hand. "Give it back!"
He only laughed, "You forfeited it to me when you were busy slapping off the invisible spider."
Anger flooded my brain "You played dirty."
"Welcome to Onyx." He grinned, shoots me a wink and strolled off to the starting line.
Even before I could figure out what to do, a gun was fired into the air and all at once, the students charged ahead and disappeared into an invisible barrier as they crossed the starting line.
And there I was, standing, shocked, confused, and unable to believe that I am really here.
Holy shit!