The Realm Protectors - Chapter 12: Chapter 12
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It somehow takes an astounding two hours to get the other 32 presenters ready. Their hair and makeup is done, and their costumes are on. Jaq and her crew are flitting about and helping anyone who needs it. I almost feel bare looking at these already beautiful fourth sects beautified even more with makeup and astounding hairstyles. Enya checks the time and pulls us eight out the door to go escort our delegations back to the auditorium.
I rush to the Darkness Campus as fast as I can without getting out of breath, stopping a few times to zip through the shadows of buildings. I arrive at Dark Facility and go inside to see the Mork delegation already in their pristine rows. When School Master Dankworth sees me she gives three shrill whistles. The students snap to attention, clicking their heels. Each one is perfectly fitted in a black military-esque uniform complete with onyx buttons.
"Little Voronkova," School Master Dankworth nods to me, accent heavy. "Back to the auditorium?"
"Yes, School Master." I incline my head in a Morkian bow.
"Excellent." Dankworth pulls out her whistle and gives another shrill two blasts. "Stodens! Marhe!" She snaps.
I lead the procession back to the main campus and into the auditorium, only lasting a few yards before my feet began to match their tempo. How easily we fall into our old habits. The delegations from the other schools don't get a room backstage to get ready, instead having to sit in their assigned seats until they're called onstage. We have the home-field advantage of keeping our presentation secret until we perform.
Once all of the Morkians are seated I rush back down to the Green Room. Two screens have been rolled in to allow us to watch the performances while we finish getting ready. The others are sitting in the vanities getting done up by Jaq and her team, while the other 32 crowd around the screens.
I sit down in front of one of the vanities and a girl with coiled red hair immediately starts doing my makeup. She covers my face in a blessedly light coat of foundation and powder before applying blush and black lipstick. She tells me to close my eyes and I feel her start to apply makeup there too.
After a while she tells me that my makeup is done but to keep my eyes closed until the eyeliner is completely dry. She starts in on my hair, braiding it into a crown around my head and curling the pieces that fall to my back.
I start to feel nervous when she's done dolling me up and she tells me to get into my costume. Behind the room dividers used for changing, I shakily step into the sleek, silky fabric, zipping up the back. There's a thin hoop skirt underneath that keeps the pooling fabric away from my legs and feet as much as possible and makes me look like a figure of shadow.
I step out from behind the screen and Professor Grantwood barges in, looking a little frazzled. Enya turns from her spot beside Ciana to look at her. She walks up to Professor Grantwood, fiery costume catching the light and making her look like a real flame.
"Professor, what's wrong?" Enya asks. Grantwood takes a breath and composes herself.
"Can I speak with you eight quickly?" She says, voice low.
"Of course," Enya frowns, worry crossing her face. She waves at us to meet behind one of the changing screens. Nile stands by the edge so he can stop anyone from coming behind and listening to us.
"What is it, Professor?" Ciana wrings her hands worriedly.
"I came to see if the other High Arches were in here," She sighs. "They were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago and none of the messengers have come back from Arch Hall. I want to go and find out what's going on but I need to be here and run the show."
"They're missing?" Carter's jaw drops.
"We don't know that for sure yet, so don't get too worked up." Professor Grantwood says in an attempt to calm us. "We can start the showcase without the other Arches. Technically only one Arch is required to be in attendance for the start. I'll have to make do until they get here. I just wanted to see if they came in here to see you eight, but I guess not."
"If we find them, we'll send them your way, Professor." Enya presses her lips together and places a hand on Grantwood's shoulder.
"Thank you, you eight are doing wonderfully." Grantwood smiles. "I'd better go get ready to start the show. Wish me luck." Grantwood leaves and we all stand behind the screen in a sort of dumb shock.
"The Arches are never late." Carter frowns. "They have the best space elementals as teleporters."
"I'm sure they've been late before, Carter." Enya sighs. "We just have to give them a little faith. They're some of the most powerful elementals in the Realm."
We all go back out into the main area and watch on the screens as Professor Grantwood walks onto stage.
"Welcome everyone to the annual Realm Academy Showcase!" The crowd cheers and Grantwood grins at them. "We're very excited to be hosting these eight incredible academies here at Asavanra Academy for Elementals. They have all been working very hard to put together these incredible displays of talent and power in the spirit of sportsmanship and competition.
"Now without further ado, the High Arch Blessing of Gathering." Professor Grantwood bows her head and raises her hands to the crowd, spinning slowly as to bless everyone.
"What is this?" Ciana whispers to me.
"At every gathering of the schools, the High Arches give a blessing to protect everyone from harm." I explain.
"Like a prayer?" Avani asks.
"Sort of. No one's praying though. It's more like casting a protection spell." I turn back to the screen.
"By the power of light," Professor Grantwood pauses. "Protect these talented educators and students as we showcase our abilities here today."
She drops her hands and the crowd applauds.
"Let's get this showcase started!" Professor Grantwood grins. "First up, the delegation from Mork's School for the Strong!"
"Skol for de Sretk!" A shout rises from the crowd. Professor Grantwood vacates the stage and sharp whistle blasts can be heard. The sound of stomping feet comes next, making me shiver. The camera shows a close-up of the military-esque students in their sleek black uniforms marching onto the stage. They form a ring and each of them raises their hands, causing black clouds to appear.
Their performance is sharp, dark, and very practiced. When they're finished they march back up to their seats and the delegation from Fajro's Institute of Flame come down to the stage. Avani mumbles something about it looking like a "tribal dance." She doesn't elaborate when I ask her what this means.
Tijd's School of Time goes next, opening time gateways and bringing things from the past into the auditorium briefly, like a giant fluffy elephant with tusks, a flying reptile, and other incredible animals. They're followed by Aria's School of Wind and Clouds, Stelluna's School for Stars and Space, Dunia's Place of Growth, Vesi's Water School, and Leve's School of Light.
When the Leve delegation starts walking down to the stage, Enya gathers everyone up and we go out into the main backstage area of the auditorium. We watch the Leve presentation from the tunnels and watch as they walk back up to their seats.
Finally the announcer's voice comes across the speakers. "Asavanra Academy for the Elements!" The voice repeats the phrase in each language and Enya turns to Ciana and I.
"Here we go," She says.
"Just breathe," I mutter to myself as I watch Carter, Lyra, and the other elementals do their incredible routine of stars and time bubbles. "Everyone ready?" I ask the other darkness elementals. Four heads nod and murmur words of encouragement.
We walk out onto the stage, staying along the sides where it's slightly shadowed until Carter and Lyra's groups finish. We walk onto the stage and raise our hands, making shadows pool around the ceiling. Sounds of wonder come from the crowd as we swirl the shadows, filling the whole auditorium with darkness. We drop our arms and everything goes pitch black. We hold it for a while until the light and space elementals start disrupting the darkness with beams of light and stars. Once it's bright enough we drop the shadows and gather in a large ring with the other elementals.
We all raise our hands and create giant formations in the air. A cloud of darkness looms over my head, with a giant sun on my right and flowers on my left. The crowd cheers as we drop them.
"Up to the seats," Enya says. I motion to the other darkness elementals to follow me over to the Asavanra section. We take our seats and Professor Grantwood steps back onto the stage.
"I'm in awe of all these incredible presentations!" She laughs. "Every school did incredibly. I'm so proud of not only my students, but the students from all the other delegations too. I wish all of the delegations good luck with all of their activities this year, and now we'll end with the Blessing of Dismissal."
Professor Grantwood bows her head and the lights go out.
"What's going on?"
"What happened to the lights?"
The audience cries out until lights start to appear again. Ciana has her hands raised, along with all the other light elementals, and they disperse the darkness.
Professor Grantwood is gone.
I rush to the Darkness Campus as fast as I can without getting out of breath, stopping a few times to zip through the shadows of buildings. I arrive at Dark Facility and go inside to see the Mork delegation already in their pristine rows. When School Master Dankworth sees me she gives three shrill whistles. The students snap to attention, clicking their heels. Each one is perfectly fitted in a black military-esque uniform complete with onyx buttons.
"Little Voronkova," School Master Dankworth nods to me, accent heavy. "Back to the auditorium?"
"Yes, School Master." I incline my head in a Morkian bow.
"Excellent." Dankworth pulls out her whistle and gives another shrill two blasts. "Stodens! Marhe!" She snaps.
I lead the procession back to the main campus and into the auditorium, only lasting a few yards before my feet began to match their tempo. How easily we fall into our old habits. The delegations from the other schools don't get a room backstage to get ready, instead having to sit in their assigned seats until they're called onstage. We have the home-field advantage of keeping our presentation secret until we perform.
Once all of the Morkians are seated I rush back down to the Green Room. Two screens have been rolled in to allow us to watch the performances while we finish getting ready. The others are sitting in the vanities getting done up by Jaq and her team, while the other 32 crowd around the screens.
I sit down in front of one of the vanities and a girl with coiled red hair immediately starts doing my makeup. She covers my face in a blessedly light coat of foundation and powder before applying blush and black lipstick. She tells me to close my eyes and I feel her start to apply makeup there too.
After a while she tells me that my makeup is done but to keep my eyes closed until the eyeliner is completely dry. She starts in on my hair, braiding it into a crown around my head and curling the pieces that fall to my back.
I start to feel nervous when she's done dolling me up and she tells me to get into my costume. Behind the room dividers used for changing, I shakily step into the sleek, silky fabric, zipping up the back. There's a thin hoop skirt underneath that keeps the pooling fabric away from my legs and feet as much as possible and makes me look like a figure of shadow.
I step out from behind the screen and Professor Grantwood barges in, looking a little frazzled. Enya turns from her spot beside Ciana to look at her. She walks up to Professor Grantwood, fiery costume catching the light and making her look like a real flame.
"Professor, what's wrong?" Enya asks. Grantwood takes a breath and composes herself.
"Can I speak with you eight quickly?" She says, voice low.
"Of course," Enya frowns, worry crossing her face. She waves at us to meet behind one of the changing screens. Nile stands by the edge so he can stop anyone from coming behind and listening to us.
"What is it, Professor?" Ciana wrings her hands worriedly.
"I came to see if the other High Arches were in here," She sighs. "They were supposed to be here twenty minutes ago and none of the messengers have come back from Arch Hall. I want to go and find out what's going on but I need to be here and run the show."
"They're missing?" Carter's jaw drops.
"We don't know that for sure yet, so don't get too worked up." Professor Grantwood says in an attempt to calm us. "We can start the showcase without the other Arches. Technically only one Arch is required to be in attendance for the start. I'll have to make do until they get here. I just wanted to see if they came in here to see you eight, but I guess not."
"If we find them, we'll send them your way, Professor." Enya presses her lips together and places a hand on Grantwood's shoulder.
"Thank you, you eight are doing wonderfully." Grantwood smiles. "I'd better go get ready to start the show. Wish me luck." Grantwood leaves and we all stand behind the screen in a sort of dumb shock.
"The Arches are never late." Carter frowns. "They have the best space elementals as teleporters."
"I'm sure they've been late before, Carter." Enya sighs. "We just have to give them a little faith. They're some of the most powerful elementals in the Realm."
We all go back out into the main area and watch on the screens as Professor Grantwood walks onto stage.
"Welcome everyone to the annual Realm Academy Showcase!" The crowd cheers and Grantwood grins at them. "We're very excited to be hosting these eight incredible academies here at Asavanra Academy for Elementals. They have all been working very hard to put together these incredible displays of talent and power in the spirit of sportsmanship and competition.
"Now without further ado, the High Arch Blessing of Gathering." Professor Grantwood bows her head and raises her hands to the crowd, spinning slowly as to bless everyone.
"What is this?" Ciana whispers to me.
"At every gathering of the schools, the High Arches give a blessing to protect everyone from harm." I explain.
"Like a prayer?" Avani asks.
"Sort of. No one's praying though. It's more like casting a protection spell." I turn back to the screen.
"By the power of light," Professor Grantwood pauses. "Protect these talented educators and students as we showcase our abilities here today."
She drops her hands and the crowd applauds.
"Let's get this showcase started!" Professor Grantwood grins. "First up, the delegation from Mork's School for the Strong!"
"Skol for de Sretk!" A shout rises from the crowd. Professor Grantwood vacates the stage and sharp whistle blasts can be heard. The sound of stomping feet comes next, making me shiver. The camera shows a close-up of the military-esque students in their sleek black uniforms marching onto the stage. They form a ring and each of them raises their hands, causing black clouds to appear.
Their performance is sharp, dark, and very practiced. When they're finished they march back up to their seats and the delegation from Fajro's Institute of Flame come down to the stage. Avani mumbles something about it looking like a "tribal dance." She doesn't elaborate when I ask her what this means.
Tijd's School of Time goes next, opening time gateways and bringing things from the past into the auditorium briefly, like a giant fluffy elephant with tusks, a flying reptile, and other incredible animals. They're followed by Aria's School of Wind and Clouds, Stelluna's School for Stars and Space, Dunia's Place of Growth, Vesi's Water School, and Leve's School of Light.
When the Leve delegation starts walking down to the stage, Enya gathers everyone up and we go out into the main backstage area of the auditorium. We watch the Leve presentation from the tunnels and watch as they walk back up to their seats.
Finally the announcer's voice comes across the speakers. "Asavanra Academy for the Elements!" The voice repeats the phrase in each language and Enya turns to Ciana and I.
"Here we go," She says.
"Just breathe," I mutter to myself as I watch Carter, Lyra, and the other elementals do their incredible routine of stars and time bubbles. "Everyone ready?" I ask the other darkness elementals. Four heads nod and murmur words of encouragement.
We walk out onto the stage, staying along the sides where it's slightly shadowed until Carter and Lyra's groups finish. We walk onto the stage and raise our hands, making shadows pool around the ceiling. Sounds of wonder come from the crowd as we swirl the shadows, filling the whole auditorium with darkness. We drop our arms and everything goes pitch black. We hold it for a while until the light and space elementals start disrupting the darkness with beams of light and stars. Once it's bright enough we drop the shadows and gather in a large ring with the other elementals.
We all raise our hands and create giant formations in the air. A cloud of darkness looms over my head, with a giant sun on my right and flowers on my left. The crowd cheers as we drop them.
"Up to the seats," Enya says. I motion to the other darkness elementals to follow me over to the Asavanra section. We take our seats and Professor Grantwood steps back onto the stage.
"I'm in awe of all these incredible presentations!" She laughs. "Every school did incredibly. I'm so proud of not only my students, but the students from all the other delegations too. I wish all of the delegations good luck with all of their activities this year, and now we'll end with the Blessing of Dismissal."
Professor Grantwood bows her head and the lights go out.
"What's going on?"
"What happened to the lights?"
The audience cries out until lights start to appear again. Ciana has her hands raised, along with all the other light elementals, and they disperse the darkness.
Professor Grantwood is gone.
End of The Realm Protectors Chapter 12. Continue reading Chapter 13 or return to The Realm Protectors book page.