A wall of earth shot up, protecting the teachers from the hungry flames. Mrs. Terrel, the Earth Academy head, knelt next to one of the Magical guardians. Their glowing hands were pressed to the ground.
My breath caught, and I squeezed Neil’s hand. He squeezed back, the pressure a comforting weight.
Through the smoke, a phantom outline emerged, slowly walking forward. Her clothing was singed and hair dripped sparks.
Didn’t she protect herself from her own fire?
Despite everything, she moved with a frightening, mindless determination.
I exchanged a worried look with Ivy, who then squinted outside. “Does that fire look kind of purple to anyone else?”
Purple fire. An expression devoid of feeling. Complete disregard for her own safety. “Who is she?”
“What is she?” Gray asked at the same time.
We stared at each other. No one answered. I turned back to look out the doors.
Her vacant expression was almost more terrifying than the fire bombs that periodically exploded.
“Why aren’t they stopping her?” Ivy demanded.
“I think they don’t want to hurt her.” Neil gestured to the girl outside. “Look at her. She’s probably your age. Teachers are trained to raise and protect students, not hurt them.”
“But normally, students aren’t rampaging around,” Gray said.
The girl continued forward, driven by some unknown purpose like a marionette with invisible strings. She resembled a spectre from hell, fireballs dancing above her palms and her expression vacant.
Mr. Kaji, the head teacher of the Fire Academy, looked outraged. I could easily imagine him angry about someone using his own element against him. The next explosion went off, and he slammed his hands together. The explosion collapsed on itself with a puff of smoke.
I watched the girl’s face, waiting for a reaction. Nothing.
“Whoa, what happened?” Ivy’s awe echoed my own feelings.
“He waited until the second she cast her magic, and then he reversed it once she separated with the flow of energy.”
“You can do that?” There was so much about magic I didn’t know.
“Only true masters of their element can do something so advanced so quickly. He had to disperse the heat equally without disturbing the natural temperature of the surroundings.” Neil’s voice was sprinkled with wonder.
As she walked forward, she continued to release explosions. Bright bursts of light illuminated the campus like giant glow flies before Mr. Kaji sucked the fire from her explosions. He continued to neutralize her magic, but the hand he used to wipe his forehead shook.
In the smoky haze, Headmistress Elsie’s crisp white shirt appeared like a beacon of hope. Storming across the grounds, she seemed out of place amidst the smoke and wreckage of campus.
I tugged Gray’s sleeve. “What’s she going to do?” She was the head of his Academy and taught his Light Magic class. “Healing won’t do much good here.”
Gray's gaze remained glued to the surreal scene in front of us. “She can do much more than heal.”
Headmistress Elsie spoke with Ms. Ventor and Mrs. Terrel, nodded at the other Magicals to stand down, and the three of them stepped forward to face the intruder.
Could they stop her without hurting her? There was something about her expression that made my chest twinge painfully. Who was this girl? She destroyed campus and attacked the teachers without a second thought, but her face lacked the cruelty or rapture I expected. Why was she here? It was like she wasn’t even aware of the destruction she caused. Where did she come from?
On some unspoken signal, both Mrs. Terrel and Ms. Ventor’s hands lit up. The earth rose up and swallowed the girl’s feet, knocking her forward.
She reached out to catch herself, but froze in the motion of falling, the air around her trapping her in place. Only her expressionless gaze moved.
At that moment, Headmistress Elsie ran over. With glowing hands, she touched the captive girl’s forehead. The intruder's eyes rolled back as she fell unconscious, still suspended in the air.
An eerie stillness settled over the grounds.
Chapter 5
Miss Ventor’s voice, amplified with her Air Magic, rang across campus. “All students need to return to their rooms immediately while we confirm that the rest of campus is secure. Remain there until further notice.”
Ivy and I bade farewell to the boys and trudged back to our dorm in troubled silence.
I paced back and forth in our small room, anxiety propelling my feet forward, faster and faster. Why did that girl randomly attack the school? Why did her fire look purple? Why didn’t she react when she burned herself?
“Will you cut it out?” Ivy caught my arm and pulled me down beside her on her bed. “You’re stressing me out.”
“Sorry,” I muttered. “I hate not knowing what’s going on. I don’t know how you’re not freaking out. The school was just attacked!”
“I’m sure they’ll tell us at dinner, since they asked us to gather then. But, for now, no more pacing.”
A few hours later, we found seats with Neil and Gray in the cafeteria. There was a hum of curiosity and concern in the air. It was the first time many of us had seen magic used offensively before, and it was incredible, but terrifying. No wonder we had laws against it.
“I know you’re all wondering about the attack this afternoon.” Headmistress Elsie’s quiet voice smothered the hum. “So far, little is known. We are currently investigating who the girl is, as well as her possible motives for attacking Ackley Institute. She’s being detained here at school, but she’ll be under constant supervision from members of the Koban until she’s removed from campus.”
A murmur of discontent traveled the room.
Would more of the Koban come to Ackley or would they pull those patrolling campus to watch her?
“It’s crucial we learn all we can about this attack to prevent something like this from ever happening at Ackley Institute again. For tonight, please eat your dinners and return to your rooms early. The teachers have a lot to discuss, and there will be no wandering the grounds or socializing until classes tomorrow.”
Groans of disappointment went up at that, Gray's voice audible among them.
Headmistress Elsie ignored them and sat with the other teachers, who were already deep in discussion.
I fidgeted in my seat, watching them. “What are they saying?”
“I’m sure you’ll hear all about it tomorrow from Henry.” Ivy patted my hand.
“I can’t believe they didn’t cancel classes.” Gray’s disappointment was obvious.
“Gray, I think there’s more to be concerned about right now,” Ivy scolded.
Neil’s hands smoothed out the wrinkles in his pants while he absent-mindedly stared at the table.
If one Magical could do that much damage, what would happen if the instability between the regions grew to the point of civil war?
Having to go back to classes on Luxdays after having Noxdays off was always difficult, but with the attack the day before, no one was in the mood for classes.
The morning dragged on until History. When I walked in, Celia waved me over to the empty spot by her with a huge grin on her face that stood out from the somber expressions around us.
“You aren’t going to believe what happened yesterday.” Celia practically squealed in excitement.
My eyes widened. “You mean the attack? I was there t-too, Celia.”
She shook her head, and her dark braid whipped around her head.
Mrs. Mallin cleared her throat and began to lecture. “As a result of yesterday’s incident, I’ve decided that we will discuss the Great Wars today. Would anyone be willing to share what they already know?”
Celia lowered her voice. “No, it’s what happened after the attack.”
A boy at the table next to us raised his hand. “Hundreds of years ago, Andar was inhabited by four tribes: the Fire tribe in the northwest; t
he Air tribe in the southwest; the Earth tribe in the northeast; and the Water tribe in the southeast. Back then, the tribes were small, and the Mundanes and Magicals coexisted together, but over time, the tribes grew so big that they fought for land.”
Another girl raised her hand, and Mrs. Mallin nodded at her. “It’s said the Great Wars were the reasons the Mundanes separated from Magicals and moved to Ellion.”
Mrs. Mallin nodded. “You’re both correct. Although Magicals are similar to Mundanes in many ways, after the carnage of the Great Wars, many Mundanes believed we were too powerful and unnatural. Even though we can be killed just like them, our magic made us too much of a threat. They moved to Ellion and have lived separately ever since.”
Celia poked my arm, lowering her voice even further. “I saw Josh after dinner, and he held my hand! Can you believe it? It’s the first time he’s ever done something like that.”
I bobbed my head, my attention split between her story and the lecture.
Mrs. Mallin walked between the seats. “But why did the Great Wars occur? Was land the only issue?”
Celia fell silent, bouncing in her seat.
Ivy raised her hand. “Back then, it wasn’t uncommon for the tribes to fight. There was no one in charge and no ultimate point of authority. As a result, I imagine they fought all the time over things like land, money, or even simply because they didn’t get along well.”
Mrs. Mallin smiled. “Very good, Miss Hart. Can you tell me what happened next?”
Ivy nodded. “King Dominica and Queen Mila came forward and ended the war.”
The teacher laughed. “Yes, they did. But that’s a very simple explanation for such a momentous occasion. King Dominica was the son of the Dahning chief, and Queen Mila the daughter of the Beltan chief. It might not seem so crazy to you today, but back then, Magicals didn’t mix like that, especially the east with the west. Yet, the two met and fell in love, Binding without anyone being aware.”
Next to me, Celia sighed. “It’s just like Josh and me.”
“They were already strong Magicals in their own regions, but once the Binding was complete, their magic grew even stronger.” Mrs. Mallin paced among the rows of students as she spoke.
Celia’s eyes were wide.
What was she thinking?
“When the Great War between the regions grew worse, they realized they couldn’t keep their relationship a secret any longer. They decided to use their Binding as a way to tie the regions together. News of their union traveled across the regions, and they called a cease-fire to meet with the four chiefs in the center of Andar, declaring it neutral territory.”
“That’s Komen, right?” a girl to my left asked.
Mrs. Mallin nodded. “Of course, the chiefs were originally outraged about the binding, but King Dominica and Queen Mila eventually convinced them it would help bring peace to the land. They were living proof that the regions could work together, and the strength of their magic spoke for itself.
“The war had already been going on so long and so many lives had been lost, that the chiefs were willing to stop the fighting. To prevent another Great War from happening, King Dominica and Queen Mila, through the voice of the people, became the reigning monarchs. And that was when Andar was born, the monarchy formed, and when the Mundanes moved south to Ellion.”
“Was that when the Koban were formed?” a boy in the front row called out. The Koban were Andar’s elite Magicals who maintained the country’s peace and enforced the laws.
“Yes. The Koban were formed to maintain order in Andar. King Dominica and Queen Mila knew how quickly people could resort to violence, so they created a new law, which made it illegal to use magic offensively. This is why I know yesterday’s attack was such a shock for many of you.”
Hesitantly, I raised my hand. “Why hasn’t defensive magic been t-taught before now?”
A wrinkle formed on Mrs. Mallin’s forehead. “With rules prohibiting offensive magic and the Koban to protect the people from Dark Magicals, it was easier for everyone to hone their magic in other, more practical ways.”
Forty minutes later, the bell rang, and I ran out the door, tossing a hurried goodbye to Celia over my shoulder.
Ivy was quiet during lunch and I scarfed down my food, waiting for the chime to go off. Soon, I could talk to Henry and could find out what happened to the girl.
After lunch, Henry greeted me, dressed in workout clothes. He must’ve read the question in my eyes because the first thing he said was, “No, she hasn’t woken yet, but it’s only been one day.”
Following his lead, I wrapped my hands with cloth. “You mean we don’t know anything? Not who she is or why she came here?”
He shook his head. “But this wasn’t the first attack. You wouldn’t have heard of the others because delegates were attacked, and the Delegation agreed on silence for the general public. If everyone knew delegates were being attacked, the country would panic. Elsie informed all of the staff at Ackley.” There were four delegates from each region of Andar. Well, three... since one of the Ra delegates died a few cycles ago and hadn’t been replaced. If someone was attacking them, things were serious.
“I didn’t realize it was so bad.” I dropped to the floor to stretch.
He nodded. “Things are quite precarious at the moment. Skirmishes have been erupting all around Andar. Beltan and Ender are still firmly allied in the west, and Ra and Dahning in the east, but the tensions between the two sides are escalating. Civil war is drawing closer by the day.”
Since I was little, that’d been the ever-present threat. With no one on the throne to hold the regions together, it hung over Andar constantly.
My stomach flopped like a fish on land, and I reached for my toes. “Well, if the goal of these attacks is to throw the country into chaos, they’re doing a good job.”
“I don’t know if that’s the goal or not, but it’s happening regardless, but if they could find out who’s instigating these attacks, it’d go a long way. There’s always evidence left behind, pointing almost too neatly to the other regions.” His voice matched the tightness in his shoulders.
“And no one finds that suspicious?”
“Some do, but the vast majority are only too willing to believe the worst in others, especially when relationships weren’t even that good to start with. Things haven’t been ideal these last twelve years.” He took a deep breath and started stretching.
Why were people so slow to trust but so quick to judge?
I finished my stretches and stood. “Tell me about the attacks.”
Henry held up his padded hands, and I warmed up with a few punches to the pads. “Last week, the daughter of one of the Ra delegates was attacked while she visited a friend in Ender.”
“They don’t think Ender had anything to do with it, do they? Acting aggressively while still in their own land would be foolish,” I panted.
“That’s what I think, too.”
I exhaled and cocked my hand back, tensing my shoulder and gathering energy from my feet. My hips twisted and my fist snapped against Henry’s hand.
Henry grunted and retaliated so I had to juggle offense and defense. “You know how it is between the east and the west. Even the delegates have a hard time putting aside their prejudices sometimes.”
My frustration flowed out through my fists. “This is so dumb. Why can’t they trust each other? It’s like we haven’t improved at all since the Great War.”
Henry threw an extra punch into the sequence, tripping me up. “You know that’s not true. Andar has changed significantly. Since the monarchy was established and they created the Koban, there hasn’t been any large-scale violence in Andar. Of course, there are still small problems, which the Koban dealt with —” His eyes flashed, “—But Andar has been an extremely peaceful country.”
I sucked in air. “Honestly, that’s not the word I’d use to describe Andar. I mean, think about it. Your parents were killed, the king and queen were assassinate
d, there have been disappearances and attacks all around the country. Not exactly the definition of peaceful, if you ask me.”
Henry nodded, not breaking his pattern of attacks. “The majority of Andar’s history has been peaceful, but it’s true that there’s definitely been a rise in crime this last decade.”
My fists froze. “Do you think this is related to the assassination twelve years ago?”
Henry paused and we took advantage of the break to drink water. Not too much, though. That was a lesson I’d learned all too well early on with Henry when I’d thrown up on him during one of our sessions. “I’ll admit, the thought has crossed my mind, but it’s merely a theory. No one knows who killed the monarchs, so there’s no way to prove anything.”
“I wonder if there’s some sort of correlation between the Koban and the monarchy.” I panted, struggling to get my entire thought out. “Everything seemed to fall apart after the assassinations.”
Henry and I were both silent for a moment in respect for the monarchs who went to join the elements before their time. Then, he motioned me forward to continue.
“When King Donovan and Queen Ava Bound…” I swiped my hand across my forehead, “that was the first time two Magicals...controlled all four elements within their binding, right?” I ducked under his punch.
“Right.”
Henry mixed kicks into his attacks. The sadist. He wasn’t even breathing hard.
“So, Princess Nicola would’ve been the first Magical in Andar’s history to wield all four elements naturally.” I dodged a kick and pushed hair out of my eyes. I couldn’t keep this up much longer.
He closed the distance between us. “No one can guarantee how magic will pass from one generation to the next now that the bindings are mixed between regions. That’s precisely why we have Light and Dark Magicals now. But we can say that, if possessing all four elements without binding was possible, she would’ve been the most likely candidate.”
I moved a hair too slowly and his next kick sent me flying back. My back and arms slammed into the earthen floor with a painful thud, and I winced.
Unleashed Magic (The Chronicles of Andar Book 1) Page 6
