The Hesserbout icon moved first, climbing into the one of the four empty spaces under Semi-Final. There was an ooing from the crowd as the fizzing white stars made their next move. The Manticores painted icon moved slowly, its form dripping upwards along the line, until it came and sat opposite the Hesserbouts.
That meant, that we were playing the Swillow form! I was playing Jasper! The crowd in the Hall broke out with talking, and shouts of excitement as the final move placed the Condors opposite the Swillows.
“We’ve got to trash them!” cried Hunter grasping Robin, Jake and me by the necks with his long arms and pulling us into what he probably thought was an affectionate hug, but felt more like a physical duel. I wrestled myself free, before I was hugged by an excited gaggle of Condor girls.
“The Semi-Final! Can you believe it?” said Ellen, followed by the same remark from all the girls. My heart was racing, the rivalry between me and Jasper felt like it had reached fever-pitch. Some of the crowd were now staring between Jasper and me. Robin gave me a ‘you alright about this?’ kind of look — I nodded, my chest felt tighter than when that flower had me in it’s grips.
***
“I don’t want to be exspelled,” I said quietly as me and Straker walked slowly and quietly along a discarded corridor.
Straker chuckled. “Of course you don’t. Who would?”
“I can’t go home…” I muttered.
“It’s only fair,” said Straker stern voiced. “You can see the Lily’s reasoning, anyone else would be exspelled for the same crime — this is your chance to recover yourself. He’s given you a chance.”
“True,” I said.
“It’s too dangerous to allow you to stay at the school indefinitely, you’ll be putting the other pupils in danger. Don’t you see? It’s only a matter of time until the Djinn is strong again, and it will be in the school… and who are the majority of people in this school? Children. They will be the victims,” he said gravely. “Alas, if the accidents we’ve already experienced continue we could have a hefty number in the Healers room, or worse. If, however you are exspelled, the Djinn has to follow. It cannot be too far away from you until it gains an independent life force.”
“Right, this is probably a stupid question but… why can’t the Lily just go after it? He’s much more powerful than me.” I shivered at the thought of the Djinn following me home — as if home wasn't bad enough.
“You’re right… it is a stupid question. There are a number of reasons. Firstly, it will destroy the Lily if he tries to find it. Secondly, only the raiser can vanquish it. And lastly, it’s your fault, why should the Lily clean up your mess?”
I sighed, he was right, but this was all getting too much. I felt like I would never find the blasted Djinn. I would end up living at home, being haunted by a Djinn — an exspelled, unqualified Wizard, forever.
Needless to say I became exhausted by the whole routine. It became an effort to drag my caucus around to lessons, which were increasing — we now had double the lessons we did at the start of the year. As well as constant Riptide training and daily mile upon mile walks about the school with Straker’s miserable face next to me.
It crossed my mind to decide to search up high, near the clock tower and accidentally find that hidden room that me and Robin found. The room that, in my mind was Jasper/Malakai’s room, the place where he hid all the special books, where he read about seventh sons to try and find out how to end me. Why else would Jasper be up there?
This whole year I had waved the possibility of Malakai returning away… but it was inevitable. If so, I was doomed. Not only did I have a Djinn after me, but also the most powerful Sorcerer alive.
In amongst this mess of routine, for I hardly knew what the day was most of the time — I actually forgot that it was my Birthday. Can you believe that? It took me until midday, after a gruelling lesson with Yearlove, while Robin was reading the Herrald, I was nearly asleep in plate of sandwiches when I looked across and noticed the date.
“Is that today’s paper?” I said.
Robin glanced at the front. “Fourteenth of April? Yeah why?”
It was my Birthday and I had forgotten. I was fourteen and no one even realised. I didn't know whether to be sad, or grateful. I bit into a sandwich. “It’s my Birthday…”
***
It was late April. Wind and rain battered the school continually. In class you could hear it hammering the windows and doors, the wind shaking them in their frames. The Magisteers had spent all Sunday reinforcing them with rain repelling spells, but it didn't stop the dungeons flooding, or one of the turret roves to collapse. Thankfully the Riptide Stadium stayed upright.
It was a year ago today that I had saved Ernie and Tina. All day I’d been dreamy, thinking about it. Yearlove asked me questions and I didn't notice, Wasp talked about my stars, I didn't care, and Commonside droned on about the numbers showing up something interesting for me soon, but I wasn't listening. My mind flashing back to that fateful day. The fright I felt descending into that dark basement where Malakai was and confronting him. I remember the dread of seeing his form. My thoughts flashed with the spell that killed me. And then… that wonderful feeling as I stepped onto the golden escalator… I sighed.
I had hardly seen Ernie in months, he kept to himself up in his high tower, alone. I heard that he had moved out of the Phoenix dorm because they were too loud and he wanted to concentrate alone on his work. I missed him. I wish he was a ghost again… no, that was a horrible thing to say. But as least I’d get to see him. In fact I wish I could go back to the first year.
And what about Tina? She was with Jasper now, but it would have been nice for her to acknowledge me — I had saved her and Ernie’s life.
***
Straker could see I was flagging, my feet noticeably dragging along the floor as I walked. “Here…” he said as I greeted him with barely more than a grimace outside my dorm. I looked at the concoction of thick looking orange liquid in a test tube.
“What is it?” I said curious.
“It will enhance our search,” said Straker, taking another out of his inside pocket, de-corking it and downing the liquid. I raised the orange stuff to my nose — that was a mistake. Ergghh, I wretched. “Just drink it.”
“Fine…” I opened my mouth and poured in the thing that tasted like: raw eggs, dirt, soap and toothpaste. With the slightest hint of mango, cucumber and… curry. I clawed at my tongue until the taste eventually passed. Straker stood watching me for a second, until suddenly I felt an enormous swirling inside. I felt energy and optimism start to bubble up, I felt pride and courage, confidence and assuredness. My senses sharpening — I could see far father down the dark corridor, my eyes zooming all the way to the end and reading the number 112 on the door. My hearing was pronounceable better too — I heard the creaking of the wood as someone got into bed. I heard the crackle of an ember, the easing of a stone, the pummelling rain outside, the squelching of someone’s wet clothes. Everything was sharp.
“I must remind you, not to tell anyone about this,” said Straker taking the empty vile. “Otherwise they’ll all want some.”
We began to walk the familiar route, but everything about it seemed different. My footsteps echoed with a stoney recourse, my breathing long and slow, my heart pumping rhythmically with a great sloshing sound. After a minute or two Straker stopped, we had just entered a dark corridor. He waited, un-moving — the light bracket behind us went out and we stood in pitch black.
“Stand very still,” said Straker moving his hands in awkward movements over my head, then his own. My feet tickled with pins and needles, my skin buzzed and felt for one horrible second like it was contracting. Then, two small pops sounded the end of the spell. Straker beckoned me forwards. The light brackets didn't come on and my footsteps were absolutely silent. With the orange potion coursing through me I could see through the darkness as if the corridor was lit by a million candles.
Straker pulled a tiny silver bal
l out of his pocket, then threw it into the air. It split into two pieces, the parted silver crescents acting like tiny wings beating ferociously. In the middle of these wings was a pure white eyeball. It seemed to awaken, the retina swinging into motion and darting around as the wings beat hard. From out of the retina a bright blue light, laser focused in a concentrated beam, burst outwards. The blue light began scanning every nook and cranny.
“It’s an Occulus’ that I changed…” said Straker. “It will scan the area up ahead for us with its laser light focus, I reduced the eye in size, changed its sight, upscaled it so that it can spot invisibles, spirits… Djinn. It’s also indivisible to them, but not to us.”
“Woah…” I said amazed that anyone could just create something like this.
“I call it the Volucer-Illumino or the Volumino for short.”
“It’s amazing,” I’d never seen anything like it, a flying eyeball that hunted for spirits? It flew far ahead of us down the corridor, its bright blue beam shooting into crevices and crannies, leaving no space unchecked.
“Look it’s got something already!” — The Voluminio was flashing it’s blue light at us. We ran towards it as fast as we could, Straker had his arms outstretched ready to attack.
“No Volumino, that’s the ghost of Magisteer Dodaline’s old cat. Yes, I am sure it was always that scruffy grey colour.” I laughed as the blue light illuminated a bony cat rubbing up against Straker’s leg. The Volumino looked very pleased with itself, it had caught something and now it was teasing the ghost cat by whizzing around its head, the cat watched intently, swiping an old paw at it.
“It might take a bit of adjusting,” Straker admitted getting a little notebook out and writing something.
“But why are you doing all this for me?” I said, Straker looked over his notebook. “I mean, the potion, the spells, the Volumino…”
“Who said I was doing it for you?” he smirked.
“Well, I thought you were helping me to… find the… Djinn?” I stuttered.
Straker tucked the notebook into his breast pocket. “We were getting nowhere were we? I had to think of something. There is no sentiment here, whatever you might think — I have a job to do, help you find and vanquish the Djinn. And this…” he pointed to the Volumino. “Is me doing my job. Just don’t tell anyone about it.”
***
Where on earth had the time gone? Only two months of school remained. They were supposed to be for learning, or maybe extra curriculum activities like playing Riptide. They were not for spending all your waking hours searching for one of the most powerful Djinn, to save yourself from being exspelled. And then, just as I was starting to get hopelessly perturbed and panicked by the lack of progress, something happened…
Two weeks with the Volumino and so far it had found: a rat eating demon in the dungeons, a golem pretending to be a wall, a Florax (a kind of devilish, naughty two foot tall creature that likes to collect teeth, fallen out or not) amongst other things.
I grew quite attached to the little thing, it was like having a tiny efficient pet around the place, zooming just ahead of us. But on this particular night, all was quiet. We were searching up high, near the tallest turrets in the school — I was hoping there wouldn't be a window because I think I’d have feinted if I saw the drop. Straker and I stood before, what everyone in the school had dubbed ‘the death corridor’ — it was just any other corridor, except for the fact that it was very old, and held up exclusively by magic. When looked at from below, the death corridor looked unsafe, suspended in mid-air between two turrets. It was the only way to get across to the other side of the school — this high up anyway.
Even Straker was having second thoughts as we stared along the old passage, but it was too late to turn back now — it would take hours to walk back the way we had come. The Volumino had already zoomed down it, scanning the crumbling walls and sloping mullioned windows. Straker, sensing my panic of crossing the treacherous corridor, threw his hands wide, all the dusty curtains swung shut. I tip toed alongside Straker who strode forwards.
As we reached the half way mark, the Volumino stopped, flash, flash went its signal. No, not now!
My breath withdrew inside me, my heart contracting. The Volumino’s blue light shot round and for a second, cast light on a small, hunched, dark cloaked figure with blue glowing eyes.
A tiny clawed hand jerked. The tiny Volumino smashed against the ceiling in a blaze of blue fire. Then fell to the floor with a thud.
“Avis—” but Straker didn't have time to finish what he was saying. With no warning, the hunched figure clapped — the spell rippled through the air.
A cracking, splintering noise echoed ominously. The floor was beginning to give way! I looked back, my worst nightmare confirmed… the spell was collapsing the corridor! It was starting to fall in on itself! Straker grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and pulled hard. But, we started to slide down, legs giving way beneath us. Twenty feet behind us was the exit. I had to act, or we wouldn't make it. I jumped up against the almost vertical floor, grabbing a fist of Straker sleeve. CRACK! Went the floor, it was falling backwards — we had seconds! I double tapped the shoes, gold light erupted in a frenzy. I began to run against the vertical corridor as Straker cried out. The shoes connected with carpet. A burst of speed somehow pushed us forwards, scrambling up the carpet. Using everything to scratch our way up. But, a gap had formed between corridor and safety. The corridor had broken away from the turret! I pulled at Straker’s sleeve, holding it tight Before… sprinting and jumping. Wind wailed, gold light lit the dark blue sky temporarily as we soared across it. The dark gap yawned beneath us.
And then… floor. We slid into the safety of the turret as the death corridor broke away completely and fell.
“NO!” Straker cried, leaning over the precipice. He aimed his hands at the block of falling stone — its descent slowed, then stopped in mid air. Straker was breathing heavily, arms and hands trembling. His face drawing pale. Below was the fifth floor, the corridor would fall into the school causing unknown damage… I lay useless, what could I do? Red sparks shot out of Straker’s hands, zooming across the dark night and into the Lily’s office window.
A second later the Lily appeared, climbing his window and onto a stone plinth that appeared as he walked, he raised his hands instantly. The weight of the corridor being taken caused Straker to collapse. The Lily sailed the collapsed corridor gracefully down towards him, placing it neatly on the lawn below. He fixed us a stare from his plinth, a voice next to us suddenly said: “Come to my office.”
I lay back on the stone floor. My hammering heart beating like a drum. Straker sat shaking his head. “How on earth did we get out of that?” he said. There was a funny little buzzing noise above our heads. “You made it!” I cried as the Volumino, flapped towards us. It made a funny whistling noise in greeting, beating furiously to stay in the air, it’s wings cracked and juddering. The retina and blue light flashing all over the place. Straker cupped his hands softly around it, closing the silver wings over the eye until it stopped moving.
“The Lily will not be happy about this,” said Straker looking out of the gaping hole in the turret where the corridor used to be.
“Whatever that thing was, it was powerful right?” I said, but Straker said nothing.
We walked back in silence. The events had clearly shaken Straker up, me as well, I felt giddy. If it hadn’t been for the Seven League Shoes we’d both be splattered all over the school roof by now. It couldn’t have been the Djinn for that was tall and transparent. This thing that attacked us, was short and stubby — the same thing I’d spotted in under the stadium, in the toilets and now again, but what was it?
Outside my dorm before leaving to go to see the Lily alone, Straker turned. “Can you please beat the Swillow’s on Saturday,” he smiled then grimaced as he walked away into the darkness. The ominous feeling of something bad being about to happen was a keen sense that I’d developed from living with an
evil family. And I felt it now.
***
Partington was pacing up and down, kicking up dust. The dorm room was stuffy and nervous — one more sleep and we would be playing the Swillows in the semi-final of the Riptide Cup. Everyone was fraught with nerves. Hunter kept trumping which stank the room out and Simon had completely chewed his fingernails until they started bleeding. Partington’s owl like face was scrunched up with what looked like painful contemplation. Joanna was reading out tactics to employ against the Swillows based on their apparent weaknesses.
Graham tutted. “Ah, but you see there Jonna what you say about having two people follow Jasper — shouldn't it be three?”
“But,” said Joanna. “If we make it three, we will have to sacrifice the defence for Robin hunting for the Ornaments.”
“I see,” said Partington rubbing his lined face.
“I can help mark him?” I said gleefully.
“No!” said Jake and Gret. “You are our top goalscorer. We need you to do just that.”
“Okay, okay, I was only kidding.”
Jake huffed. “This is no time for jokes.” I thought about telling Jake that we were not going to war, this was just a game. Believe me, I wanted to get one over on Jasper and the Swillows as much as the rest — the whole reason I had risked going to the Library at night was to find a way of being good at Riptide, so to prove a point to Jasper and Tina. And this grudge match would be the pinnacle of that point. But I didn’t want to sit here running over all the different tactics that we’d forget as soon we stepped onto that pitch.
Avis Blackthorn and the Magical Multicolour Jumper (The Wizard Magic School Series, Book 2) Page 26
