Elemental Mazes Excerpt:
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The cheers finally died down and Oeric clapped once more. “Master Marcus Aurelius Marci f. Cornelius n. tribu Galeria Scipio Pius, we ask you to name the students chosen from Cleopatra’s Magical Institute!”
This time the ball of light was a dusty yellow. So there was a reasoning for the lights. Pink for the vast cities of lights in Europe, lime to represent the vast Earth population in Asia, and dusty yellow for the sands of the deserts. Lime for Asia was a strange, well the fact that Earth was the main element of the continent was strange as well, as it had the least amount of forest and more highly populated cities. Also it seemed the hand liked to make a version of the color of each element. It made Katy wonder what North America’s would be. She turned back to the happenings with the first name shooting from the ball of yellow light. ‘Tesfaye Ahasi, Air.’
Katy tensed the name may mean hope but that Air had a sense of power to him that had screamed anger from the moment he walked into the dining hall the first time. And she had to go up against him? Then he winked at her. She blinked. Maybe his name fit him more than she thought. She turned back to the hand and the next name was called.
‘Alexandrai Ciaro, Spirit.’ She was tall and pretty. She was cocky in her power, creating lightning bolts to run along her arms. Katy hated her on sight; that hate turned to outright loathing when she heard Gaivan’s comment.
“She is hot!” Gaivan smiled. “In the name of sportsmanship we should get to know her.”
Katy sneered and brought her magic to her eyes to glare at the tall blonde violet eyed teen that captured Gaivan’s almost thirteen year old attentions. She knew she was going to do everything short of maiming and killing that perky blonde. Though a scar might give the cheerleader some sort of character. She looked back toward the girl and gave a wicked smirk.
“Well, at least you are in good spirits.” Gaivan stated.
Katy just smirked and turned back to the hand to hear the rest of the contestants.
The next name was ‘Chione Jamila, Water.’ Katy actually was shocked about that. She had heard Haley talking about Miss Jamila and she was a sweetheart. Must have hidden sadistic side, Katy concluded, as Jamila for sure had power, as her hair always seemed to swim behind her. She knew a sweet outside could hide a disgusting center, but though this witch had a hidden side she didn’t believe it was evil, more likely she just had a hold on her power.
The next name was throw up; “Akins Ababakar, Fire.” Katy looked at the tenth year that stood up, very few tenth years would do this unless they were confident they would win. When the mazes first started it was an apprenticeship that was won, when it was rare to gain the apprenticeships needed, now the winner just got a title for the school they went to, so there was very little reason to do it as a tenth year unless one was sure they could win. It was a barbaric, deadly game, all for show and bragging rights. And this guy was large and brawny, he may have brains, but he would value brawn over his knowledge, one could tell as he flexed his arms on the way up. A possible mask, sure, but doubtful. His eyes were as read as flames with blue around his pupils, his dreadlocks were decorated with blood red feathers. Katy had to get in on the betting pool, she had a feeling this egotistical boy would be done before the beginning of the second maze.
“Who is in charge of the betting pool?” She asked Gaivan.
Gaivan blinked in shock and then laughed. “The triplets from Earth and the Air twins.”
Katy nodded, they were all from the same family, the triplets taking after their father and the twins after their mother. The Barth family almost always was either pranking or running the betting pools, considering the fact that the Barth family owned many gaming and prank shops in both the magical and non-magical world it wasn’t a shock on the pranking front. As for the betting pool the mother’s side of the family owned the casinos of the magical world and some in the non-magical world. The Minter family was known for their gambling, betting and greed. That being said the kids were a nice bunch of people and got along well with about everybody they met. The triplets were sixth years and the twins fourth years and very popular among all the houses, it had a lot to do with the massive pranks that went on against the worst of the bullies of the school. That is one thing the Barth family was known for, that everybody was treated with kindness, how Papa Barth, as he was known to the kids that went to his store, fell in love and married a Minter, nobody knew. After all Mrs. Barth was as cold and hard as they came. Katy and Gaivan actually had quite a few classes with the twins, and got along with them and even had meet up with them during holidays to hang out. Katy wrote out a quick note to send it to Aquilo, stating to meet her before they went back to the dorms. Aeolius and Aquilo were to be the younger years contact for betting, while the triplets, Demetrius, Dimitris, and Dimitter, were to be the contact for the upper years.
“Remind me to place my bets after the ceremony as well.” Gaivan stated.
Katy took a sip of her apple juice. “Of course.”
Gaivan smiled. “Any key points you want to tell you bestest friend?”
“yeah…” Katy leaned in and smirked. “Make your own observations.” She chuckled as she sat back. Gaivan pouted as she looked to the front as the next and last name for Cleopatra’s was shot from the hand. “Renenet Sabah, Earth.” A seventh year, he seemed to be a runner as he walked light on his feet. He had a short, short haircut of dark hair, to the point of being bald, a lithe form and seemed to glide across the floor. He would be quick and Katy could see the power glowing in his green and brown eyes. He would go far, but her plan had him losing in the end. But he would go far.
Oeric smiled. “And there we have the team for Cleopatra’s Magical Institute!” With that a very proud headmistress, Aziza Abasi, lead her team to the competitor tables.
Kris Charles - Author 