by Katie Pottle
“Sweet! You guys want to go swimming or play around the Cloud Park?”
Cadin tumbled into bed, exhausted after Lep had dragged them all over town in the name of ‘relaxing’. Cadin was grateful that he had been too busy to worry about school starting and all that it entailed.
“Guuuur, hipp, gurr,” his dragon said from his corner rock nest.
“Night, Gur. Tomorrow we start another adventure,” Cadin said quietly, running his hand over the fading scar on this back of his neck where his medallion had cut into his skin—a reminder of his near capture and freefall towards Earth.
Could the Core—the Calvarian System Governing body and military—protect him? Would the Core protect him? All he had was a vague promise of training. Master Sanjen himself said that if Cadin could prove himself in the upcoming Calvarian Games, the Core would help him become a Warrior Angel in their ranks.
A messenger had brought news from Master Sanjen at the beginning of the summer telling Cadin and his parents that Tiberius—the leader of the Tlalocs—was focusing his efforts in other parts of the Calvarian System and the signs pointed to Tiberius thinking Cadin had fallen to Earth. “For now, the boy should be safe, but extra precaution should be taken regardless. Master Emilio will aid in Aura suppression to help mask his identity from those that seek the ‘mixed Aura boy.”
The message ended and Cadin at least had not heard anything more about the man who had been a leader in the last big war and had once again turned his sights on the Core. Master Sanjen said that war with Tiberius had not officially started yet. That also meant war wasn’t inevitable. Apparently, few civilians had any idea Tiberius was still alive, let alone plotting.
“Aura suppression is not a commonly used or sought after skill,” Master Emilio had told him at the start of the summer. His silver hair flew into a chaotic mess from the slight breeze whistling through the small valley behind Cadin’s house. His parents insisted on coming to his first few training sessions and sat quietly off to the side.
“Won’t my Aura energy be less powerful if I suppress it?” Cadin had asked of the powerful old angel.
“Obviously, but it will be far less conspicuous as well.”
Cadin was having doubts. “Sir, I don’t think I can make it through high school without my Aura, let alone place in the Qualifiers for the Calvarian Games. I mean, my team is already dealing with handicaps next to most of the other teams. We are younger, don’t have as much training and three of us won’t have our wings for the first half of the year!”
“That is the beautiful part of it. I am not proposing you suppress your entire Aura.”
“What now?”
Master Emilio put his hand on Cadin’s good shoulder. “The Core thinks it would be safest for you if you can learn to suppress just one color of your Aura.”
“Oh,” Cadin said, at a loss for words.
“Even if it does get around to Tiberius that you survived—and I imagine it will—it will look to him as though you are no longer a mixed Aura angel.”
“Does that even happen—losing an Aura color?” Cadin asked.
“Traumatic experiences have triggered Aura changes before. Some have changed from colored to white, or white to colored. There was a documented case of a mixed Aura angel whose twin brother fell to Earth in battle. After the failed rescue attempt, the angel lost one color of his mixed Aura. There haven’t been many mixed Aura angels before, so we must go on anecdotes and conjecture rather than reliable science. You will still have your mixed Aura, of course,” Master Emilio added quickly when Cadin’s dad had started to stand. “However, the public version of why you are walking around all of the sudden with a green Aura instead of your mixed green-blue will simply be that you went through a harrowing experience with being kidnapped and dropped to Earth, and that changed your Aura.”
“And you think this is the best way to keep him safe?” Sara asked, leaning forward.
Master Emilio played with his beard for a long moment. “I do. And so does Master Sanjen. I don’t propose this lightly—and I don’t even know for sure that it will work. However, I think it is the best option for keeping you safe while still allowing you some freedom.”
“I’ll do it!” Cadin was determined not to let others’ perception of his mixed Aura dictate his life.
With that, his summer had been consumed by learning to suppress the blue side of his Aura, and training with his friends.
He was cloud-shifting, desperately trying to keep the frail mist together—the last buffer standing between him and Earth.
“It is time,” the cloud echoed.
“I can't fall! I have so much more to experience as an angel! It can’t all be over.”
“It is time!” the cloud insisted, louder.
Cadin was confused. Clouds didn't talk.
“Cadin, wake up. It's time for school.” The cloud morphed into his mom. Cadin blinked, and jolted awake from his all too real dream.
“Let's go,” Sara said from his doorway. “Breakfast is ready.”
“Got it. I'm up, mom.” Cadin got dressed, throwing on a white shirt that contrasted nicely with his caramel skin-tone. He picked up Gur, who also was not a morning creature, and shambled downstairs.
“Hi, son. Sleep well?” His dad was sitting at the table, eating eggs and drinking something green.
“Oh, yeah.” Cadin didn't see the point in worrying his parents with his recurring nightmares. It had taken weeks for them to let him out of their sights after he had been abducted.
“Eggs and juice?” his mom asked, holding up a pitcher of green goo.
“Just eggs, thanks.” He had learned to stay away from his mom's more creative cooking long ago.
Cadin rounded the path and took a deep breath as Glade Commons High came into view. It had taken quite a few arguments to get his parents to let him walk to the first day of school by himself. Walking together had been their tradition ever since primary school; however, everyone had been watching over him so closely the last few months he felt he had to fight for some independence. He was fifteen after all, and his wings would emerge sometime soon, he was sure. He flexed his shoulders a few times, exalting in the extra weight developing in callouses within his back.
“Here we go,” Cadin said to himself, though Gur responded with an affectionate head-butt to his cheek before settling back to his favorite spot on Cadin's shoulder. It was less than a year since Cadin saved the hatchling and became attached to the rock dragon. Gur was free to go at any time; though still an adolescent, he was quite capable of surviving in the wild. However, the dragon showed no signs of wanting to leave.
Cadin scratched Gur under the chin as he approached the familiar double doors. He stepped over the threshold and was inundated with the sounds, smells and energy he had come to know as High School. Shoes squeaked in protest with fast turns, wings flared and took to the air as others stopped mid stride to reunite after a long summer off. Cadin smiled and forced his way into the bustling hall. Even though he was smaller than most angels his age, he was now a second year, and bigger than at least many of the scared looking first years wandering around.
“The new student orientation is that way,” Cadin pointed out to a young girl who looked hopelessly lost. She gave him a big smile and turned to run in the direction he indicated.
“Oye, Cadin—over here!” Cadin turned to see Lep sitting on someone's shoulder above the chaos, waving him over. Cadin made his way over as Lep scrambled down from what turned out to be Treven's shoulders. “Thanks, Trev. That would have been so much easier with wings.”
“You're telling me,” Treven said as he rubbed his shoulders. “Hey, Cadin.”
“How's it going?”
“Not bad. I could've used another couple of weeks of break, but I'm excited to be back too.”
“Yeah, it is going to be an awesome year now that we can enter the Qualifiers,” Lep jumped in. “Speaking of Qualifiers, where is the rest of your team?”
“I
haven't seen Xeno yet; and Vincent and Jade are... reuniting.” Treven's face scrunched up into what Cadin figured for a slightly disgusted but mostly exasperated look as he spied Jade and Vincent making out in a not very discrete corner of the Great Hall.
“But they got to see each other over summer,” Cadin said, slightly confused by their overzealous display.
“Yeah, but Jade was off visiting some family on Galen for a couple of weeks and just got back. So where are your other team members?” Treven asked.
Lep shrugged and started looking out over the crowd.
“I'm not sure. You guys were the first ones I've seen.”
“Here comes Sun,” Lep said as he waved her over.
Cadin turned to see a bright yellow Aura wading through the sea of green towards them. “Help her out, Gur.” Cadin tapped his dragon's butt, and Gur sent a few well-placed fireballs. Angels quickly dodged and moved out of the way, ruffling their wings as they did so. Singed feather smell could quickly clear a room.
“Hi, guys,” Sun said as she approached. “Thanks, Gur, but you should be careful—we don't want you getting kicked out.” She rubbed the dragon under his chin, and Cadin swore he smiled.
“So whe...,”
Sun was cut off as Headmaster Tripharian took to the stage and the room quieted. His silver-streaked hair contrasted brilliantly with his bright green Aura. “Welcome back to Glade Commons High, everyone!” The cheering echoed off the high walls. “The first years have been placed and now we come to you.”
Cadin realized he hadn't given any thought to who his new homeroom instructor would be, or any of his new teachers. What a strange oversight, he thought, as he scanned the room for Instructor Kade, their warrior instructor who was secretly still active in the Core.
Headmaster Tripharian raised his wings, and silence once again followed. “Second years will be allowed to enter higher placement classes, but please do not neglect to earn general studies and required badges. A reminder that you are not allowed into the winged section of the school until your wings have sprouted. Note that homeroom instructors remain the same for first and second year students. Please come see me if you would like to request a transfer.” A sigh of relief rippled across most of the second years.
“Those moving from second to third year will have big changes. You will have your new homeroom in the winged section, and you had better work on both your gross and fine flight skills to get comfortable. Your homeroom assignments are in your folder that are available for pickup on the back table.” Headmaster Tripharian continued to address the issues of the upperclassmen as Cadin was distracted by Bart stumbling out of the crowd, clutching a bright green folder in his arms.
“Hi there,” he whispered loudly with a huge smile. “I got Instructor Falen as my new homeroom teacher.”
“Isn't he the advanced biology and cloud creature instructor?” Cadin asked, remembering earning his first academic badge.
“Yeah—he's that one, there,” Bart said as he unnecessarily pointed to the short instructor on stage. Instructor Falen's orange eyes caught the gesture, and to Cadin's surprise, gave a little wave their direction. “He is my favorite instructor!”
“Awesome you got him for homeroom then,” Sun jumped in.
“Yeah. This is going to be a good year!”
“Indeed, it will be, Bartholomew,” Headmaster Tripharian projected across the room. Bart's whisper, which was not much of a whisper, had carried.
“Sorry, sir,” Bart said, turning several shades of red, but still looking happy.
Headmaster Tripharian nodded and continued to address the room. “And now some announcements about the Calvarian Games. As you all know, Commons school students from across the Calvarian System compete in the Calvarian Games each summer for advanced badges, scholarship opportunities, and honor. I am happy to present last summer's competitors that did Glade proud.”
Several students walked up on stage and shook Headmaster Tripharian's hand. There were far fewer students than Cadin imagined would have competed. His musings took on a vague feel as he saw Susan, a beautiful healer that he had briefly met during Spring Badge day the previous year. Their meeting had ended poorly with a confrontation between Cadin and her boyfriend, Gregor—the school jerkwad.
“Obviously, this is only about half of our representatives,” Headmaster Tripharian said, snapping Cadin back to the present. “All of our fourth-year competitors from last year have graduated and moved on to many of the best Universities, Trade Schools and the Academy.”
“Oh, right,” Cadin said.
“Hey, did you catch that healer babe up there?” Lep whispered to him with a suggestive grin. “Maybe she can help with my twisted ankle, or wrist, or...”
“Or mind,” Sun cut in.
“Hey, that's not fair.”
“Shhhh,” someone in front of them scolded. The second-year boy turned to look at them and paused upon seeing Cadin. He had prepared what to tell people about his now all green Aura, but it still felt weird having people stare at him once again.
“Last year we had a huge contingent of Trade Path angels compete—six of whom placed in the top ten in their respective trades. Two Glade students won top ten spots in overall trade points, making it our best Trade Games showing for Glade in ten years!” The majority of the students on the stage stood up in acknowledgement.
“In the post-Games auction, Henry of Glade’s versatile dragon hide bag and emergency shelter sold for fourteen cantos, two betos and eight aros—breaking last Trade Games’ auction record by more than two cantos!”
“And finally, our Academic Path angels. The competition was fierce, and all of our competitors represented Glade well, however, two prevailed to earn a top ten finish!” Susan and a tall boy stood up and gave a little wave as Headmaster Tripharian started clapping. Susan blushed as she smiled and returned to her seat.
Headmaster Tripharian raised his hands for silence and turned back to the main student body. “The Commons Games afford you some wonderful experience and many opportunities to earn advanced badges and even scholarships after graduation. This is one of the many reasons why the Games' Committee elected to open the trials up to second year students for the first time beginning this year.” Excited whispers erupted, but quieted quickly as the Head Master continued. “Second years will not be given any handicaps playing against older, more experienced and more studied students. However, we feel earlier competition will serve each of you better in your later years here should you choose to participate. Note that this is the year to establish eligibility for next years’ Qualifiers for Trade and Academic Paths.”
He held up a closed hand and slowly raised one finger. “To compete in the summer Calvarian Games—first you had to have established eligibility last year for either Warrior Path or Guardian Path. Warrior Path contenders must establish a group of four to compete. If you do not have a group, sign up in the ‘need team’ category after the seminar.” He raised another finger. “Second, you must earn a Qualifying spot this year through a series of Qualifiers that will test and challenge your abilities. I look forward to everything that you each has to show this year, and am excited to see who will be representing our great cloud-land this summer!”
CHAPTER TWO
High School
“It is fantastic to have a declared Path; it made choosing classes so much easier,” Cadin said as he and Lep walked home. He was incredibly grateful to have Lep, Sun and Bart on the Warrior Path journey with him.
Lep nodded and kicked a rock into a natural cloud rolling across the hills. Cadin liked his easy friendship with Lep. It was never forced and neither of them felt like they had to talk to fill a silence. They were experiencing one of those beautiful pre-sunset moments when the natural clouds were beginning to dance with the cloud-lands, reflecting light, enticing plants to open, leaving a smell always accompanied with a memory. Cadin was reminded of an early childhood afternoon of trying to catch clouds as they floated by, his parents sit
ting nearby and giggling at his efforts.
“Hey, Cadin?” Lep sounded far tenser than usual and snapped Cadin back to the present.
“What's up?”
Lep stared at his feet as he continued. “Well, I was just wondering if you think that ... you know... that that Tiberius guy is going to try to kidnap you again?” Lep seemed relieved to have gotten it all out and stopped to look Cadin in the eyes.
Cadin was touched by his friend's worry, but it was hard to know how to answer. His own thoughts were not entirely coherent on the subject. He took a deep breath and sat in the middle of the path. Lep followed suit; it was not a busy path and the only souls they saw were two dark ravens hoping through the clouds searching for insects.
“Honestly, I don't know.” Cadin fidgeted as he searched for the right words. “There are things stirring out there, even if it is not obvious or public yet. I guess I wish it was something I could forget about now and focus on school, but it is always there...this elusive nagging in the back of my mind. I didn't pick Warrior Path because of some upcoming war that may or may not happen.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “I chose to train as a Warrior because I want some control over my own future, and I am the freest and most confident when I'm walking that path. You know what I mean?”
“Actually, yeah—I get where you are coming from.” Lep jumped up and startled Gur as he reached down to pull Cadin up next him. “I feel the same way.”
“Check it out,” Lep said as they neared the edge of the cloud-land. They had taken the long route back from school, which was not as close to the edge as their normal route. Cadin still got a little shaky near the edge of the cloud-land and he was grateful his friend never questioned his need to steer clear. Cadin followed Lep's gaze and saw the old Core outpost. Some angels had unloaded a heavy airship near it.
“I wonder what's going on.” Cadin couldn't remember the last time anyone but school age angels paid any attention to the outpost. “Want to check it out?”
