Even with her determination to put the recent events out of her mind, as Katy guessed it, most of the night was spent talking about the Eleball game and, of course, about Katy and her ability to get away from Solomon. Everybody packed to leave the next day as well, but it was slow moving when they kept on about the volcano, vortex, and ashes.
Katy helped Deen pack she also taught him to make a little salamander his was a deep dark orange, and about two inches. Katy’s had grown and now was about three inches. Deen had ordered an aquarium to put his salamander in; proud of the fact he had created something from nothing. So, of course, they went around making lots of things out of nothing whenever they could without being considered show offs, Katy had learned to create little birds now, Deen still worked on creating smaller reptiles, but they were far more advanced in their studies than any other first year. After all, they had to be if they one day wanted to be Guardians like Deen’s father.
The next morning they went down to the local town on carriages, as everybody else got on the plane to go home, Deen and Katy went to another plane, one what would take them to New York, then to take the connecting flight to Paris, then to Egypt. On the plane rides there was not much to do, Katy and Deen talked spells and things, but they kept to themselves, even though there were a few other kids on the plane with them. None of the students were allowed to teleport to the site that the professor booked, so there were three second years, two third years, one forth year, one fifth year, no sixth years, two seventh years, four eighth years, no ninth years and one tenth year.
There was a layover in Paris for a few hours, so the professors and the parent helpers took them to the magical community in Paris. It fascinated them all. Deen, of course loved the French sweet shop, Roux Sweets. Katy loved the bookstore there were so many books in French, especially the French spell books, she bought a couple small ones that were on sale, for only a few jewels. Katy and Deen had an easy time as they communicated with the local witches and warlocks, as they had learned to control their ability to speak French this past term. They really did not want to leave, but they went back to the airport and got on their connecting flight to Egypt.
Within a short amount of time they landed and checked into Elizabeth’s Bed and Breakfast, it was only for the night, as tomorrow they were going to their camp site. In the morning before going to the camp site they got dressed in their Archeology uniform which consisted of black shorts, a red button-down short sleeve shirt, and a black bowl hat. They had a quick breakfast, and then the adults loaded the children on to the bus and set out. It was almost three in the afternoon when they reached their campsite, a few miles from the great pyramids.
“Now, we won’t be digging today, that will start tomorrow, today we will set up camp and go over some ground rules. Each year will get a section and work it; you are not allowed to stray from your assigned locations. Each year will have two adults with them, their professor, and a parent helper. I will hand out the assignments, please set up your tents.” Said Professor Adair then walked around and passed out directions to their assigned dig site, and the name of their parent helper. Katy did not even look at the paper just tucked it into her pant pocket and went to put up the tent.
Katy finished securing their tent with Edgar then went to find Deen who was complaining about something. “What is wrong?”
“We got my dad; I was kind of hoping he would be assigned to one of the older groups since they are making their life choices right now. But we did get a surprisingly good spot, not much to find I bet though, it is closer to the middle pyramid.” Deen said as he handed her his paper.
“I don’t think that is too bad, we can learn a lot from your father, he is a Guardian after all. And we had thought it would be him, so really it is no surprise.” Katy said, as she walked into the tent. It may look plain on the outside but on the inside it was grand. They had a kitchen, a sitting room, three bedrooms, and a bathroom, there was no roughing it with this tent.
“But all those spells we were going to practice! How can we do them now?” Deen groaned as he followed her inside, he did not know his dad was already inside.
When Edgar spoke, it gave them both a jump as they had not seen him as he sat in the kitchen. “You can still do them; you will just have more adult supervision. And don’t you two go thinking for a moment that Professor MacCathmhaoil hasn’t told me just how advanced you are, you two, because he has. Heard about your Eleball game too, good job you two, glad to see Fire beat Air.”
Katy and Deen looked at each other. And wondered if he heard about Katy’s defensive move and what he thought. But neither of them knew how to ask, they telepathically asked the other, as Deen had told Katy his father knew a lot of languages.
“Dad,” Deen started. “Did you hear everything about the game?”
“Yep, heard about that move Katy made to, I think it is brilliant, great work using his own element against him, combined with Earth and Fire. I like it, now you just need to control it, and you need to focus more Deen, you have that power too, or you wouldn’t be getting G’s in Elements. Your notes say you are better at Water then Earth, but that is okay you will learn more, you have ten years of the subject. I am going to start on dinner, you two unpack.” Edgar went back to the kitchen, and Katy and Deen retreated into their rooms to unpack, they kept quiet for the rest of the night, and went to bed early to get an early start the next morning.
The next morning, one could hear Deen as he snuck into to Katy’s room and then he jumped onto her bed. It was an attempt to wake her up and catch her in surprise. But she had already been up for an hour.
Katy walked back into her room. “Deen, you really need to stop trying to surprise me, haven’t you figured out I am on to you.” Katy said as she walked over and sat on the chair by the bed.
“One day I will get you, you will lower your guard then I will scare you.” Deen said with a smile and pulled out a sugar wand.
“You should get ready, we are going to head out soon, I expect, it is already seven.” Katy told Deen as she went to her bag and pulled out her hat, the book she bought on Egypt, and her kit.
“Yeah, yeah, like we are going to find anything. We will dig in our spot, listen to my dad lecture, and then come back for dinner. I think we should fly our brooms later. We can race,” Deen said as he jumped off the bed.
“Maybe…” Katy was not sure she did not want to get in trouble, and she was sure she did not want to stray far.
“Hmm… I wonder if dad cooked breakfast.” Deen’s thoughts had already turned to food, which left Katy to her own.
Deen ended up being wrong about not finding anything. They had spent all morning, having left the tent at half past seven, and all afternoon digging, exploring, and discovering. They found pots and some necklaces. There was nothing big, but it had excited Katy and Deen.
Most of the vacation went this way, they would get up in the morning and dig and explore all day, they went into the pyramids, they went to town and absorbed local culture, listened to ancient stories, found little trinkets. They celebrated Litha on the 21st with a giant bonfire; dancing, singing, and listening to the parents tell their stories. Edgar had some good ones being as old as he was, he talked of holidays past, his adventures as a Guardian, and everything in between.
On the last day of the dig, Katy and Deen dug in one of the last squares that were roped off for them when they hit something. It was a chest, but they had not found any keys and it was locked.
“Wow! Dad! Look!” Deen yelled.
Katy took a moment and looked at the chest; it was made of a dark wood, with gems embedded in it. Katy thought for a moment then tried the opening spell. “Directus!” And the chest opened, inside was a dagger of pure silver, the handle was embedded with rubies, garnets, rose quartz, Inca Roses, and carnelians. Katy reached for it and grabbed it. And a sensation went through her, the same one that went through her when her wand and staff chose her, she knew she was meant to find this, this was meant to be connected to her.
“Wow, Katy, that is awesome, look what we found!” Deen said as he took it from Katy, and Katy knew at that moment the dagger was meant for Deen just as much as it was meant for her, because through Deen’s thoughts, she felt the same sensation.
“It’s ours Deen. Nobody’s but ours.” Katy said with confidence, and sure enough when Deen’s dad came over to look at it, and tried to take it from Deen, it burned his hand. Katy wasn’t entirely sure what it meant being for both of them, but it would become clear in time she hoped.
“Ouch!” Edgar yelled as he dropped the dagger.
Katy picked it up and wanted to try something. She handed it to Edgar, this time it did not burn him. “You have to be granted permission, from its true owners, to handle it.” Katy stated then dug out her books and tried to look for something that would tell her what the artifact she and Deen found was exactly and what powers it may contain.
They went back to the campsite, Deen carried the chest, Katy the dagger, and Edgar the other small trinkets they found that day. They wanted to have Professor Adair come and look at the dagger to see if he could tell them about it. While they waited Katy went through all her books as she tried to find anything she could about it, but she couldn’t find a single sentence about a dagger that looked like the one that they had found that afternoon.
When Professor Adair came, they had just finished dinner and were busy as they packed up for the trip back to school. They would teleport to the airport in Egypt, and then take a plane to Paris, then another one back to New York, where they would meet the other students and go back together. Katy watched him as he came toward the tent, so she went and got the chest and the dagger.
Professor Adair walked into the tent. “Now where is this unusual artifact?” He asked excitedly.
“I have it.” Katy said then set the chest down in front of him. Katy wanted to test something, so she didn’t open it.
Professor Adair tried to open the chest but could not. “How did you open it?”
Katy nodded to Deen who stepped forward and said “Directus.” The chest opened.
Professor Adair tried to grab the dagger and as with Edgar it burned him. Katy went and picked up the dagger and handed it to him. “You have to be granted permission to touch it, and that permission doesn’t last. Edgar tried to take it again after we came back, and it burned him again.” Katy explained, trying to figure out what that meant.
“Hmm… It seems connected to you and Deen. It must be because you found it, but Edgar said that you both got the sensation that it chose you, just like with your wands and staff?”
“Yep,” answered Deen as he walked around to where Katy stood.
“Hmm… I tried to go though some of my resources, and I have found nothing in them about a dagger like this, I wonder what power it holds?” Professor Adair wondered aloud.
The group sat around and discussed it until about midnight, and then Edgar sent Katy and Deen off to bed. They went, but were not incredibly happy about it, they wanted to stay up and discuss their artifact as well, but with a look from Edgar they went off to bed.
Kris Charles - Author 