by Katie Pottle
The waiter who was finishing up orders with Sara turned and gave him scornful glare.
“Guys,” Instructor Kade said. “Please be mindful of the Condor culture.” He glanced at the waiter who was returning to the kitchen. “If he reports what you said, I will have to deal with another visit from a Games Liaison—and all of you will have a cultural sensitivity course that will be added to your requirements.”
“Yes, sir,” Cadin said. He didn’t want one more thing on his plate. And just then, as if the Cosmos was laughing at him, none other than Master Sanjen of the Core stepped up onto the platform. Whispers erupted throughout the room from those who recognized a Master of the Core.
The angel exuded confidence, dressed in a crisp military suit with a few pieces of thin metal armor over-laying the outfit—Cadin guessed for show more than function. Master Sanjen sat on the right-hand side of the enormous angel in the middle who shook Master Sanjen’s hand before resettling.
The rest of the seats filled and the hall rumbled with chatter. After the group appetizers, before the entrees, the rotund angel in the center of the head table stood and made his way over to the podium.
“Welcome, everyone to the opening feast of the Warrior Path Calvarian Games!” Cheers consumed the massive room, and Gur zipped back across the table from where he was sharing some bread with Sara.
“It’s alright, Gur,” he said, petting the dragon’s head and back.
The angel lifted his bulbous hands and the crowd quieted. “I am Yoser, Head of the Games committee on Central Cloud. We are particularly pleased with how the Warrior Path Games are shaping up this year, and that is in large part due to our new Core sponsorship!”
Gur flinched under Cadin’s hand, but did not seem as startled by the renewed cheering as he was the first time. Cadin picked him up from the table and set the dragon on his shoulder.
“The sponsorship has brought a new vigor to the Games,” Yoser continued, nodding his head and chins, “and with it—some of the most exciting prizes that the Games have ever offered. Now, to tell you more about those prizes, some of you may know our special guest from his visits to several Qualifiers last year, while others may only know him by his stellar reputation as a Master of the Core—I give you Master Sanjen!”
Everyone stood and cheered—the floor shaking under Cadin’s feet.
Master Sanjen took a quick bow—his short military style hair barely shifting before he shook Yoser’s hand and settled in front of the podium. His bright green Aura flared as he took in the crowd.
“Thank you, Games Head, Yoser.” Master Sanjen’s deep, sure voice didn’t need the microphone to be heard around the room. “I’m am pleased to be here to launch this new chapter in the history of the Calvarian Warrior Path Games. The Core is the foundation of our governing system, and the military faction hires and trains elite warriors to protect our way of life. Obviously, it is an important and highly competitive job. The Core sponsorship for the Calvarian Games came about during a meeting a couple of years ago, when someone asked the simple question, ‘are we getting the best potential warriors in the Calvarian System?’” Master Sanjen paused while the crowd took in the questions.
“The answer may surprise you. The Core recruits heavily from the Academy on Central Cloud. We conducted a brief survey from current members of the Core as well as those within the Academy and we found that many of them had chosen the Warrior Path and Academy due to their involvement in the Games.” Master Sanjen moved to the front of the stage.
“Therefore, we chose to expand our research a bit, and found that nearly one third of the top performing individuals in the Warrior Path Games over the past ten years had not chosen the Warrior Path to continue their education.” Master Sanjen took a deep breath and shook his head. The hall was silent. “I won’t bore you with the details; however, I will share with you what it came down to. Some of the best Warrior Path candidates at the Commons level chose a different secondary education institution because of a scholarship.”
Cadin looked around and saw many older students and angels his parents’ age nodding along. Bart tensed next to him
Master Sanjen gave everyone a moment before continuing. “Higher education at a University, Academy or even a reputable Trade School is not cheap. And we at the Core want to do our best to embrace those that have a thirst to be the best on the Path where they can shine the brightest! Therefore, it is with great pride that I announce that the Core is sponsoring up to ten scholarships to the Academy to be awarded to worthy competitors during these Games!”
After the small hurricane of noise, Master Sanjen quieted the cheers. “Four of these scholarships are automatically earned by the team that flies the highest during these Games and wins first place. These first-place awards are full scholarships and include a slot on the coveted Fast Track through the Academy. The remaining six scholarships will be awarded—not to whole teams, but rather individuals who shine and show their true grit throughout the competition.”
Master Sanjen made the slightest motion with his hand, and four angels quietly marched to his side. Three men and one woman, all in matching Core uniforms and hard expressions faced the audience. “These are the officers who will be observing the competition and compiling the notes on all of you amazing young competitors out there. Note that the Core is not judging the competition or in any way changing the outcome of the Games—just adding to the prize list and hopefully increasing your motivation and excitement towards a carrier along the Warrior Path. Thank you.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Bakery
Fragrant notes of lavender and honey coaxed Cadin out of his bed. The vibrant colors from the sunrise filtered through the window and he smiled when he found his dragon sprawled on his back, playing with the light beams dancing across the plump leaves of his nest.
“You’re up early too, huh?” Cadin said quietly.
Gur startled and flipped his wings to jump upright. The hanging plant swayed, and Cadin reached to stabilize it before Gur started sputtering and waking up everyone else.
“Sorry, Gur. Let’s go find some breakfast.”
The dragon raced up his arm and perched firmly on his shoulder. Cadin got dressed as quietly as possible, though he doubted much could be heard over Bart’s rumbling snores.
As soon as they were out the door, Cadin stretched his wings and arms, tilting his head back to let the morning sun soak him in its warm light.
“Good morning.”
Cadin turned and smiled at Sun. “Hi there. Why are you up so early?”
She shook her head, causing her blond hair to tumble down her shoulders. “Oh, my roommates all got up half an hour ago to start grooming for the day!”
“Ha ha! Really?”
“Yep. I decided to come outside and search for whatever smelled so tasty.”
“Hey, us too. Though I think it is only plants from the Fineman Gardens that smell so nice. Still, it made me hungry.”
Gur hiccupped in agreement.
“Do you want to walk around and find some breakfast?”
“Yes, please.” Sun shook her hair back and pulled it into a quick ponytail. “What are you smiling at?”
“I was just thinking that the other girls must hate you,” Cadin said.
Sara stuck her head out of the girl’s room. “Good morning, Cadin, Sun.”
“Hi, mom. Is it okay if we walk around a little bit?”
Sara’s brow furrowed. “I’ll come with you. Give me a second.”
They settled into an easy stride up the impeccably manicured path.
The track widened and led to the base of a mountain with many tiny shops nestled into the cloud. A main road switched back and forth up to a third row of storefronts.
“There!” Cadin pointed to a hanging sign with the image of a loaf of bread and three wavy lines over the top.
“Excellent,” Sun said, inhaling deeply. They stepped through the open door and marveled at the pastries on display.
&
nbsp; “You guys go ahead and grab something,” Sara said as she dropped some coins into Cadin’s hand. “I want to see if the Market is open. Get something tasty for me.”
“Will do,” Cadin said as Sara started up the steep road.
“One aro each for anything on the specialties rack,” a broad woman said as she set down a tray of fresh bread. “We have a deal on the smaller, less fancy pastries over here.” She swept one hand over an array of baked goods while her other hand propped up her flower coated hat. “One dozen for only three aros! So, what’ll you have?”
Sun turned to him. “Do you think we should bring some back for the others?”
“Probably a good idea.” Cadin counted the aros Sara gave him. He considered the waiting eyes of the baker. “We will take two dozen please.”
“Point ‘em out,” the baker said after he handed over the coins.
“I want to try the one with the jelly spots,” Sun said as they sat at one of the small round tables situated in a courtyard across the street from the storefronts.
“Okay, tell me how it is. I’m going to try this swirl one with the powdered sugar.” Cadin broke off a piece and handed it to Gur before taking his first bite. “This is so delicious! Here, try a bite.”
Sun tore off a piece of her own pastry to exchange.
“Cadin, what did you mean when you said the other girls must hate me?”
Her tone was light, but Cadin worried what she must have thought about the unfinished comment. “Oh, right. I didn’t mean anything bad, I swear! You had just mentioned that Araina and the other girls have to spend a ton of time to get beautiful each day and…well you don’t really need to do any of that.”
“Oh, I see.” A blush spread across her cheeks and she glanced down at her pastry.
“There you are!” Sara said, entering the courtyard. She took a seat and opened one of the boxes. “Perfect. Let’s bring these back to the condos so we don’t miss our meeting with our liaison.”
“Your timing is impeccable this morning!” Cadin shook his head.
“What?”
“Nothing. What did you get?” Cadin nodded towards Sara’s bags.
A smile spread across her face. “Stuff for buka cakes! Gertrude at the bakery said I can use her ovens during her off time.”
“You didn’t say a word to the baker while you were there. And why not just use the ovens in the condos?”
“I talked to Gertrude when I swung back by there looking for you. And the facilities at our place is not nearly big enough for what I have in mind.” She shook her head and stood up. “Let’s head back.”
Cadin wasn’t sure he wanted to ask what his mom was up to, but Sun didn’t hold back.
“So, what do you have planned with that much oven space?”
“Well, I was thinking of trying to sell batches of buka cakes while we are here. I mean, there are a bunch of young angels exerting a great deal of energy who will probably enjoy the boost. What do you guys think of the idea?”
Sun looked thoughtful and didn’t respond right away, giving Cadin a moment to think about it past his initial reaction of horrified repulsion. His mother’s cooking in general was often creative, different and at times unpalatable. However, her buka cakes were a different story. They were more consistent than anything else she made, and they did help Cadin at least restore his energy after long days of training or flying.
“Mom, I actually think it is an idea worth pursuing.”
“I think it is a fantastic idea. Where will you set up?” Sun said.
They reached the condos and set the boxes of pastries on the stone bench out front.
Sara set her bags down and brushed the dark hair out of her eyes. “Well, I was hoping that our tour today might yield some results. I have heard the Competitors’ Village is quite an affair.”
“Competitors’ what?” Cadin asked.
“You know, the Competitors’ Village. It is a pop-up square with vendors and booths. Oh, you’ll see.”
“Great, you’re back!” Talvarian walked through the door carrying a plate full of scrambled eggs. He kissed Sara on the cheek before turning to Cadin and Sun. “Beautiful morning we have here. Are you guys ready to get your summer started?”
“Yeah, I can’t wait. Mom said something about touring the Competitors’ Village.”
“Sara! That was going to be a surprise!”
“Sorry. But, really, how surprising could it be? They build one with every Games.”
“Kids from Glade don’t know that.” Tal turned back to them. “Glade is too small to host the Games. You need a lot of extra contiguous space for everything, so when it is the Guard Quad’s turn to host, it ends up in Galen.”
“Okay, you got me,” Sara said. She rushed towards one of the boxes of pastries and held it up to Tal. “Let me offer you one of these in apology.”
“Well…” Tal had already set down his now empty plate. Cadin didn’t know how he had been able to eat the mountain of eggs while talking. “Okay, all is forgiven.” Tal took a bite and pecked Sara on the cheek again, leaving a smudge of powdered sugar. “I’m going to make sure everyone is awake. Big day!”
Cadin and Sun sat on the stone wall that held the botanical wonders of Condor while the rest of the competitors woke up and ate. They took turns throwing pieces of bread and berries for Gur to catch mid-air.
“Nice one, Gur,” Lep said as he hoped on to the wall. “Man, I slept like a rock!”
“And snored like a dire dragon,” Cadin added.
“Did not,” Lep defended when Sun giggled.
“No, it was actually Bart.” Cadin threw a berry towards Bart who was finishing up his pastry. Gur caught the berry in his mouth before colliding with Bart’s head.
“Hey, watch where you aim that dragon!” Bart said, offering Gur some of the pastry in apology. He picked up the small dragon by the extended belly and walked him over. “Good morning. You should be mindful what you feed Gur on this trip. He is already getting fatter.”
“You’re probably right.” Cadin jumped down to pet the scaly head that was sniffing Bart’s hand for more food. “You hear that, Gur?”
The dragon looked up at Cadin’s light brown eyes expectantly.
“You are officially on a diet! Oh, and double exercise!”
Everyone laughed except Gur who let out a fireball dangerously close to Cadin’s head.
“Alright, Glade teams, gather around,” Instructor Kade called. Cadin hadn’t noticed when he had emerged from the condo. He appeared well rested with wrinkle-free clothes and styled short blond hair.
“Looks like he can sleep through thunderous snores just fine,” Cadin said. He received several hard nudges from his teammates.
“The teams from Galen and Air should be joining us shortly for our tour. The thing to keep in mind today is that you are here for the entire summer. Win or lose, there will be ample time to gain experience and extra school credit. You all worked very hard to be here. Don’t waste this opportunity.” Unslinging a leather bag from his shoulder, he reached in and pulled out a handful of red lanyards with cards dangling at the ends. He gave some to Tal, Sara and Junior and motioned for them to hand them out.
Cadin thanked his mom when she handed him one. He followed Lep and put it over his neck before examining it. The lanyard was thick and smooth and felt durable. He grabbed the card and attempted to look at it in-between Gur’s curious claws. It was thick for a card, with a white base and many clear vertical bars on the bottom half.
Instructor Kade held one of the cards above his head. “These are your I.D. cards for the Calvarian Games and they are not easily replaced—so please take good care of them. Right now, they are blank and you will each get a chance to activate them on our tour today.” Instructor Kade slid the lanyard over his head, allowing it to rest on his chest. “You will not want to leave home without your I.D. They will allow you access to the Arena at your team’s scheduled training times, unlock doors and lockers specific to
you, and each one will have a per diem amount of aros uploaded to it each week which you can spend at any of the participating shops and booths.”
“Awesome!”
“We get money—our own money?”
“Yes, this is one of the perks of being a competitor in the Calvarian Games.”
“What are these transparent stripes for?” Sun asked, holding her card up to the sunlight.
Instructor Kade smiled, as did the rest of the adults. “Why don’t we get on with the tour and you will find out.”
“Good morning!”
Cadin turned around to see the students and adults from Galen and Ansford, along with a few who hadn’t flown with them. He guessed they were from Air. Green Auras mingled with blue ones, making an aqua color much like how Cadin imagined his Aura looked most of the time. Today he was suppressing the blue of his Aura to only show green. It was better to have less attention drawn to him at the beginning of what he was sure to be a highly competitive adventure.
Everyone greeted the newcomers until a man with a dancing red Aura called for their attention. “Greetings, competitors!” The man’s deep voice carried easily over the crowd. “I am Roger of Condor and I am one of your liaisons during your summer here. Please feel free to come to me with any questions about the Games or this cloud-land. Condor is large and can be a bit confusing to navigate at first. If you will all follow me and stay together, we will begin our tour of the most pertinent locations. You would do well to memorize these routes.”
Cadin turned to follow the group, but was slowed by an elbow to the ribs from Gregor. He thought to let it go, but decided to hurry forward. He caught up to the muscly third year and tapped him on the shoulder.
Before Gregor could say anything or Cadin lost his nerve, he said, “I need you to stop doing that.”
Gregor’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at Cadin and kept walking. “I didn’t do anything…at least nothing you can prove.”
“Listen, I am going to get plenty of bruises in the Arena, and don’t need any extras from my own…not teammate…cloudmate?” Cadin wasn’t sure what to really call Gregor.
