Catacombs

by Avery Cross

  “Sure, just wanted to let you know you’re not alone here.”

  Nyala had to be one of the nicest people I’d ever met, and she was stuck with a pain like me. I hoped for her sake I was able to keep most of my bad attitude in check. As I dug into my breakfast, I wondered at what she’d said. Did I really look that lost and alone here? We ate in comfortable silence and took our plates up to the counter before returning to our seats. One of the pages in our packet mentioned that on the first day of orientation we were to wait in the hall after breakfast and would be given more instructions from there.

  Twenty minutes later, my leg was bouncing nonstop, and I was running out of nails to pick at.

  A hush fell over the room, and I turned.

  Headmaster Hooke entered the hall, holding his hands up for quiet. It didn’t take long. The mentors were lined up on either side of him. I looked for Zach. As soon I spotted him, I glanced back ae Hooke.

  “Good morning, everyone,” Hooke announced with a smile. “I trust you all slept well and are ready for newcomer orientation week. The rest of you will have a few more days to prepare yourselves for the upcoming semester. Now then, I would like my first-years to step forward please and find your mentor. Once you’ve found them, follow me out to the grounds.”

  “Great,” I grunted as I pushed to my feet.

  “Oh, you’ll be fine. This is exciting, remember? Happy thoughts.”

  “You’re one of those overly happy morning people, aren’t you,” I teased, and Nyala shrugged. “Well, have fun I guess.”

  We fell in with the other first-years and moved toward the back of the room, all of us breaking off to meet with our mentor.

  Zach’s arms were crossed when I reached him, and he barely nodded at me.

  “Hello to you too, sunshine,” I mumbled.

  He still said nothing. Oh, today was going to be so much fun.

  Hooke clapped his hands and turned to leave, mentors and their first-year students falling in behind him. Zach and I walked side by side, silent, while everyone else talked and laughed.

  “So,” I said, unable to keep my curiosity to myself, “what was with the glaring earlier?”

  “What glaring? I wasn’t glaring back there.”

  “Not in the hall,” I corrected. “This morning in the dorms. I was talking to some guy named Carter, and you looked a bit… perturbed.”

  I expected him to shrug it off, but he grew more agitated. “It’s nothing.”

  “Really? Okay then because I’m probably going to meet up with him later today. Seems like a nice guy to show me the ropes and what not.”

  “That’s not his job,” he argued. “It’s mine.”

  “He’s just being friendly.”

  I was taunting him, why was I taunting him? Part of me said because it was fun and payback for his crappy behavior yesterday, but that wasn’t the whole truth. I wanted to see how he’d react. He was jealous, though I had no idea why. No way he liked me unless his way of showing that was by being an ass.

  “It’s your first semester.” His voice was strained. “You should really only focus on your classes and figuring out your area of expertise. Not flouncing about with some guy.”

  I burst out laughing so loud, the people in front of us turned around until Zach waved them off. “I’m sorry, flouncing about? I never said I was going to flounce. What does that even look like?”

  “My point is no distractions.”

  “Uh huh, and did you prepare this lecture special for me last night? Or after you saw me talking to Carter?”

  He hesitated, and I smirked.

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “Whatever you’re thinking is wrong, so stop while you’re ahead.” That tic was nonstop in his jaw now, and he seemed anxious, almost paranoid, as he looked around while we filed outside onto one of the wide, grassy lawns near the main building. “I don’t much care for Carter.”

  “Why not?” He seemed alright to me, but I knew all too well how looks could be deceiving. Mom always looked the innocent single mother part when the need arose and then she’d turn around and be the psycho drug addict.

  “He’s just not as nice as he seems, alright?”

  “Says the guy who continually finds ways to give me the cold shoulder,” I whispered under my breath, but loud enough for him to hear.

  He shot me a look.

  I raised a brow. “What?”

  His face changed completely and as we stepped up with the rest of the group, Hooke motioning us all forward closer, he asked me in a whisper, “Do you have a sister?”

  I frowned. “That’s a weird question.”

  “You’ll understand if you let me explain,” he started to say, but Hooke clapped loudly, and he fell silent.

  A sister? Why would he ask if I had a sister? It was a bizarre thing to ask anyone, unless he was what, asking if I had someone else more attractive than me? Or someone for his friend? An array of crazy ideas shot through my mind, but then Hooke was talking, and I did my best to pay attention. Not so easy when the cool, collected Zach no longer seemed so calm and standoffish. He seemed genuinely worried about something.

  Possibly my non-existent sister. I was pretty sure Mom would’ve mentioned if I had a sister out in the world, or at least I hoped she would.

  “Now then,” Hooke raised his voice to get our attention, “your first order of business today is to see which element speaks to you the most. One cannot move forward in their training unless one has a guide.”

  Considering my feet kept catching fire, I had a pretty good idea of what my element was going to be. Nyala and I had briefly talked about those, too last night. We both wondered at what we’d get to do and what it would be like to have these abilities. She, of course, was genuinely excited, but I was still wary of being able to do any of the things Hooke claimed I could do. The fear I’d make a fool of myself was very strong right then.

  “Each of you will be put through a series of brief tests, and once your element is chosen, you and your mentor will have a chance to discuss your magical training, as well as begin to explore where you will fit into our world once you leave Academy.”

  “What are these tests going to be?” I asked.

  Zach didn’t answer.

  We were divided by our last names, and I was shuffled into another line while Zach went off to mingle with the other mentors waiting for their first-years to be ready to move on.

  I checked out the line. Each student stepped out into a circle formed by what looked like crystals in the grass. They glowed every time a different student stepped in, five stones in total. Fire, water, a swirl of air, and earth rose up from four while something silvery and shimmery appeared over the fifth. I guessed that had to be the fifth element, the one dealing with auras.

  The student at the front of my line held out his hand to each one in turn. Nothing happened until he reached air. It engulfed him, blocking him from sight, but then when it cleared, the other four sank back into their stones, but the air swirled around him in a continual gust until he stepped out of the ring. His mentor, a woman with shining black hair hurried over to congratulate him.

  I doubted Zach would be that happy for me. On and on the line moved ahead, each element choosing its student until finally, I waited to step into that circle.

  “Whenever you’re ready, Briar,” Hooke said.

  I hadn’t even realized he’d migrated to our line and stood so close, watching. “Right, yeah.” I stared at the five crystals in the grass, not sure why a weird sense of foreboding came over me.

  There was nothing to be afraid of. I would just step into that circle, and an element would choose me. Nothing crazy. I didn’t have to fight a monster or something; just walk the short few feet into the circle of crystals.

  I moved forward, and the second my foot was inside the circle, the stones glowed brightly. I held my breath, spinning around slowly and waited to witness what happened with the other students. But nothing materialized, exc
ept the glowing. I looked at the professor running my ring of crystals, and he glanced to Hooke. Had I done something wrong? Hooke waved off whatever the professor said to him and watched me intently. What was taking so long? I noticed other students and mentors stopping to watch. I ground my teeth, hating having so many eyes on me.

  Especially a particular cerulean pair that narrowed suspiciously. Just one more thing for Zach to blame on me, breaking this test or whatever. This was it, the moment of truth when they all realized I wasn’t meant to be here.

  But then the crystals flared even brighter, and I froze, watching as each element rose high above the ground. I carefully moved to the first one, air, but a whisper told me to turn around. Fire and water were side by side. I started to hold out my right hand, but my left rose as if on its own accord, reaching for the fire. My right shifted toward water, but it didn’t remain there, but aimed at the shimmery substance. The water and earth disappeared until only those two were left.

  I expected one to disappear, but neither one did. I heard whispers outside the circle, but my eyes refused to look away.

  Then something happened I hadn’t seen with all the other students. The fire and shimmery substance, the spirit I’d heard another student in my line call it, clashed together, spiraling higher and higher into the air. It plummeted down on me, and I yelped, hunkering down on reflex. But when I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by the fire and spirit elements as they circled around me.

  Slowly I stood up to find every person watching me, most with their jaws dropped. Zach was amongst them.

  I started to step out of the circle, but my knees buckled, and the world spun around me.

  The ground came up to meet me.

  Voices called out, and someone was saying my name, but then everything faded away.

  Chapter Eight

  Briar

  “Briar? Hey, can you hear me?”

  “Nyala?” I groaned as I opened my eyes, holding my head. “Why does it feel like someone slammed me into a wall? Repeatedly?”

  I blinked at the brightness and didn’t recognize the room I was in. I was on a bed, and there was a white curtain pulled back on either side. Thought there was something on the map called an infirmary. Guess that’s where I was brought after… after what?

  “I don’t remember what happened,” I said.

  “You were awesome. That’s what happened,” she said happily. “They said it’s only transpired five other times. Five. Do you understand how crazy that is?”

  “I really want to follow what you’re saying,” I mumbled, sitting up until my head pounded then sinking back onto the pillow.

  “Ow.”

  I waited for her to explain it all to me, but someone cleared his throat nearby. I hoped it was Zach but frowned to see some large man standing at the foot of my bed. “Uh, hi?”

  “Headmaster Hooke wishes to see you as soon as you are able,” the man said, holding his hands formally in front of him. Military man, that’s what he reminded me of.

  “Sure, and you are?”

  “Ivan, Miss Shroud, Headmaster Hooke’s second here at Academy. I will be your escort to the Headmaster’s office when you are ready to go.”

  Nyala’s brow shot up, and her mouth dropped open as she rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed.

  I stifled a laugh when Ivan shot a glare at the back of her head as if she could see it. I flicked my gaze to her then back to him, trying to get her to stop before she got herself in trouble, for, I don’t know, mocking him? Wait, he called himself a second. What did that even mean?

  It took a few moments, but she eventually figured it out and stood. “Right then, I’ll just see you back in our quarters later.”

  “Bye, Nyala,” I wished I could just leave with her. “I think I’m good to go.”

  “Are you certain? Can you stand?”

  That was a good question. I swung my legs around and waited for the pain to come back, but it was just a dull headache now.

  Ivan offered a hand, and I took it, letting him help me upright.

  “Think I’ll make it there without falling over,” I joked, but Ivan barely smiled. “We can go now.”

  “If you’ll follow me, please,” he said, and we were off.

  I didn’t exactly expect a friendly conversation while we were walking, but anything being said would’ve been better than the weird silence that seemed to follow Ivan as we moved through the building. After a few minutes, I realized where we were and remembered the infirmary was in the main building. Not really building. The more I saw of this place inside the mountain, I wanted to call it a castle, fortress. Or even a massive ancient cathedral. We wound up in some corridor and then stopped in front of an alcove. Ivan reached out and touched a specific pattern of stones around it, stepping aside as I watched in amazement to see the inside of the alcove give way to a short corridor with an open doorway at the end.

  “Headmaster Hooke is waiting for you just inside,” he assured me when I made no move to step forward.

  I guessed turning around and deciding I wasn’t ready after all was not about to happen if the look on his face was an indicator. He stared straight ahead, stoic, almost like one of those red-eyed statues. I debated my chances of walking back out of this office without being in some sort of trouble on my first day and did not like my chances.

  “Way to go, Briar,” I whispered to myself as I entered the corridor, lit by oil lanterns creating weird shadows flickering around me. “They’re going to kick you out. Barely here a full day and you’re going to be out on your ass.”

  My steps were soft and slow, as if I could somehow miraculously find a way out of this situation before it was too late. But there were no doors, no windows. The only place I could go was straight ahead of me. In front of the open door, I peered in, expecting to find Dean Hooke waiting.

  The room was empty and more massive than I anticipated. If I had any doubts that magic existed still, simply being in this room would’ve sealed the deal for me. Quills worked furiously on their own on a desk while more papers and books floated overhead, moving out the open window or onto a different shelf. A warm fire burned in the hearth and logs added themselves to the flames to keep them going. A watering can was even busy taking care of the hanging baskets of herbs in front of the windows.

  The very air felt different, like I could reach out and touch it if I wanted. Before me was a large mahogany colored desk, an old, weathered high-backed armchair behind it, but little else. On the wall were photographs, tons of them stretching all the way up to the ceiling.

  In the center, one appeared to be missing, but there was an outline on the wall as if something had certainly hung there before.

  “Huh, wonder what happened to that one.”

  In the photos, some of the people were dressed in fancy cloaks and robes, others in military uniforms. Did witches and warlocks have their own military? Just something else I’d have to ask Zach about. Well, maybe not him. Carter, I would talk to Carter about all of this. He seemed ready enough to help a girl out and not drive me insane doing it.

  Two chairs were before me, the ones Headmaster Hooke’s guests would occupy. Unsure what I was supposed to do, and wondering why he wasn’t here, and why I was in here alone, I took a seat, eyes fixed straight ahead and my hands in my lap.

  I didn’t want to feel guilty about prying, so I kept my eyes off his desk, instead perusing the assortment of photographs and portraits on the wall again. So many success stories, at least that’s what I assumed they were. People who came here and found their true calling. So many eyes staring down at me, I squirmed, as if they knew I didn’t belong here. I’d watched all the other students, or close enough, go through that same test today and nothing strange happened. Why did it have to be me?

  I was starting to wonder if I should leave when a black and white cat meowed, hopping right up into my lap.

  “Oh, hello there.” I smiled, petting her back as she purred. “Always wanted a cat.”

&nb
sp; “Don’t tell her that,” a voice said behind me, and I jumped.

  “Apologies, Briar.” Hooke chuckled as he moved around behind his desk. “I am sorry I kept you waiting and just warning, if you start petting her, she’ll make it very hard for you to leave.”

  “I didn’t know we had a resident cat. What’s her name?”

  “Sphinx, and she’s a troublemaker.” He sat down and folded his hands on his desk. “Now then, how are you feeling? This morning was certainly quite exciting for all of us, but I’m betting more so for you.”

  “I think that’s an understatement.” I wasn’t sure why, but sitting here one on one with Hooke, I’d expected to be so intimidated I couldn’t get two words out. Instead, I was comfortable, almost like I could talk to him about anything. “What did happen? Nyala, my roommate, she was there, and she was rambling about what it was, but I didn’t exactly follow.”

  Sphinx curled up in my lap, making herself right at home as we both waited for Hooke’s answer. He took a long time, as if trying to find the right way to answer my question that wouldn’t make me freak out. Too late for that.

  “Usually,” he started then stopped and started again. “Majority of the time, only one element reacts to a person.”

  “So, what, it was a fluke?”

  “My dear girl, it is rare, but that does not mean it was a fluke by any means. Nor that it was a bad event.” He held up four fingers. “This is how many times it has happened in the history of Academy.” He put up his fifth finger and grinned. “And now it’s this many.”

  Sphinx purred louder as if in agreement with what Hooke was saying, about how incredible it was.

  “I still don’t get it. I thought only one element could be chosen.”

  “In most cases, yes, but there is the rare person who is able to communicate with two. There has been one case, many years ago, where the person was able to use all five elements, but that is more rumor than truth.”

  I’d never felt more lost in my life. “I’m sorry, I just—I’m still getting over the fact that I’m a witch, but now I’m a witch that can control two elements, or use them, or whatever.”