The Realm Protectors

Chapter 11 - Nikolina

The rest of the week passes by in a blur of practice and classes until Saturday morning. Avani and I are walking to the auditorium to meet Professor Grantwood and the others to welcome the delegations as they arrive. We spent two hours last night after practice decorating each of the sections of the auditorium for the delegations of each country, and now we're missing breakfast.

Avani is not happy about this fact.

"Ridiculous if you ask me," She's grumbling as we see students entering the dining hall. "Make us stay up late and then make us miss breakfast. Ridiculous."

I start to laugh and accidentally snort. Snort. I cover my face as it gets warm and Avani stops grumbling to laugh. I take a second to regain my composure before I let myself laugh with her. We arrive at the auditorium, a giant mass of gray brick that astounds me every time I see it. It was both my favorite and least favorite spot on campus when I first arrived because of how many shadows there were. Great for hiding in, but shadows nonetheless.

It takes us a little while to walk down the stairs and onto the auditorium floor. It's called an auditorium, but it should really be called a stadium. Or a colosseum. Those are more appropriate for the magnitude of the place.

Professor Grantwood is waiting for us along with the others. She waves us over and begins talking excitedly.

"Fantastic. Now that everyone's here, let's go over a few housekeeping things before the delegations start to arrive.

"Each of you will take your element's delegation to your campus' facility. This is where they'll be allowed to relax and practice before the showcase in a few hours. After the delegations are taken to their facilities, meet back here so we can go over a few things before students start gathering here."

We all nod and a gateway begins to appear a few feet away from us.

"Let's gather near the edge so we don't get sucked into any gateways," Enya points out. We all nod and scurry over to the edge where the floor meets the seats. The gateway finishes forming and a woman walks out from it, smoothing off her white dress. It looks like it's made of clouds. Professor Grantwood and Faris step forward.

"Welcome, Headmistress Janssen." Professor Grantwood exclaims as students begin pouring in from the gateway. "And welcome to all of you students from the School of Wind and Clouds. Once everyone gets in here we'll get started."

"School of Wind and Clouds?" Avani mutters next to me.

"They're from Aria," I whisper back. "The air country. The official name is in Arian, and it's hard to pronounce for non-Arians. The language is very light and flowy."

"Everyone here?" Professor Grantwood asks the group when the gateway closes. "Excellent. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Faris Stellato. He will be guiding you to your home base while you're here for the showcase today, and he'll be escorting you back here for the presentations later."

Faris asks the group to follow him and he begins conversing with the Headmistress as they leave the auditorium. Another gateway opens and a man clothed in gold and white emerges with a crowd of students. Ciana steps up and they introduce each other before heading out.

"That was the School of Light, from Leve." I explain to Avani. She nods. Every time a gateway opens, I tell her the name of the school and where they're from. "Tijd School of Time; Stelluna School of Stars and Space; Vesi's Vende Kulu, or Water School; and the Maal Uaji, Dunia's Place of Growth.

"That's you," I nudge her. She stumbles forward to escort Dunia's Headmistress MacQuora and her students to the Earth Campus.

Finally the last gateway opens, and a strong-looking woman emerges, clothed in black.