A Hero's beginning

Chapter 11

I was standing in the ruins of the academy, dust was swirling around my feet, as if the castle had collapsed, or worse... it had been destroyed. I was wearing jeans and a plain t-shirt. Just then a strange vessel that looked like a large metal wedge with an area like the helm of a boat near the back. and a forward boarding ramp lowered as it hovered a few inches above the ground. I dove behind a fallen limestone column. I heard footsteps that sounded like metal being banged against the once smooth stone ground. My hand drifted to my side, but neither my wand or dagger was there. I peeked over the column and my soul nearly jumped out of my body at what I saw. Six people walked out of the ship, except they weren't people. They were each six feet tall and sculpted to look like a bulky man, they had glowing red eyes like searchlights and no mouths whatsoever. Three of them were holding seven foot long spears with blades made of pure red energy and the other three were holding stormtrooper-like guns. One of the things spotted me and I ducked behind the column. I held my breath and noticed a staff a few inches from me. I quickly grabbed it. It was a laurel wood staff with a wolf's head carved at the top, the wolf's head had been painted to look like it had white fur and blue eyes. It seemed familiar though I was sure I'd never seen it before. I held it in my hands, ready to jump out of my hiding spot and fight these things. "Don't," whispered someone crouched next to me and I nearly jumped out of my skin. He was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt covered in grease stains. He had a pistol-sized version of the metal men's guns in one hand and another in a holster at his side with an empty holster on the other side. He had messy dark brown hair and brown eyes. "This is your fault, this could have all been avoided if you weren't so weak." his voice had changed to that of the man from the dark forest and his pupils had expanded so much that his entire eyes had turned black. Just then he leaped over the column and started shooting at the metal men now with both his pistols out. I stood up and watched in shock. White bolts of energy shot from his guns instead of bullets. The blasts shot by the metal men with guns were (surprise) red. The metal men would overwhelm him soon if I didn't act. I jumped over the fallen column and smacked one of the metal men in the head causing it to fly off with a big dent in it. "Whoever made these had very shoddy craftsmanship." I said to myself. The stranger and I fought back to back, me firing spells from the staff and him firing shots from his gun. The metal men kept swarming out of the transport ship. Soon we would be overwhelmed but we kept fighting, I was not going to let these things get away with destroying my home. I began firing bolts of pure light energy from my staff at the metal men. Glowing cracks appeared along my arms, I felt unstoppable, like I could do this all day. The stranger and I finished off the last of the machines, his eyes had returned to normal along with his voice. Suddenly he yelled, "Look out!" I turned around in time to be stabbed through the heart with one of the energy spears. My eyes went into tunnel vision. The next few seconds were the strangest of all. The metal man pulled out the spear and tried to stab me again but I grabbed the shaft of the spear. I moved so my side was facing it and used his momentum to send him flying into a pile of ruin. I did all of this in a matter of seconds, don't ask me how because I honestly don't know. The glowing cracks on my arms faded and I collapsed. The dust on the ground swirled around me and everything went black.

I sat bolt upright in my bed, my face beaded with sweat. Sunlight was beginning to stream through the window. I got up, grabbed some clothes from my dresser and headed into one of the bathrooms, locking the door behind me. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, then changed into jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. I walked out of the bathroom and noticed David was still asleep and Jackson was just walking out of the other bathroom in a green flannel shirt and jeans. I put my hand to my chin with my palm up and whispered "Aviar venti." I blew a puff of white smoke that took the shape of a finch made of cloud that flew over to David and flew into his face, waking him up and causing the bird to dissipate. "Not cool man!" David yelled, glaring at me. "It's almost time for the staff ceremony, hurry up and get changed!" I yelled. David made a mad dash for his dresser, grabbed some clothes and ran for his bathroom. You see, each of our doors look different so we don't get them mixed up. David's is painted to look like a flame, Jackson's is painted to look like a bush, and mine looked like the light that shines through a forest canopy. I quickly grabbed a thin white hoodie and pulled it over my head. Jackson and I waited about five minutes for David who ran out of the bathroom in an oil-smeared work shirt and jeans. The three of us ran to the arena where the staff ceremony was going to be held. The older students filed into the seats except for Luke and Catherine, who sat in a line of chairs on the arena floor with the teachers. I saw Kayla waving at me enthusiastically from the second row. The three of us walked across the arena floor and joined the other students in our year. Madelynn and the other girls walked over to us. "I can't believe we're finally getting our staffs, it feels like only yesterday we arrived at school." she said with a smile. He was an older man with gray hair cut military-style, a short-trimmed beard with dark gray eyes that looked like a storm cloud. He held out his hand and in a small flash of light a staff appeared in his hand that had an eagle head carved and painted on the top. "Today is a momentous occasion for these students." his voice boomed through the arena. "Not only are they receiving their staffs, but they are also meeting their Animai for the first time. Their Animai, as you know, will be their loyal companion and friend. Now enough talking, let the staff ceremony begin!" at that the crowd roared in applause. The entire group of first years walked forward and flanked the headmaster. There were at least seventy students in each year and all of the first years were called up one by one in no particular order. The first few students held out their hands and an apparition in any color you can think of in the shape of some animal flew out of their hand and turned into a staff with that animal carved and painted on the top But some where unable to summon an animus or staff. As they summoned their Animai I noticed a silver bird with red eyes scanning the crowd. I didn't give it much thought since I assumed it was a fire elemental's project. Soon it was Madelynn's turn. I smiled at her encouragingly as she walked forward. She put her hand out and a golden holographic full-grown lioness flew out of her hand, roared for good measure and turned into a golden wood staff. A few other people went including my other friends. Jackson got a deer, Trinity got a sea otter, Grace got an eagle, and David got a phoenix. Finally it was my turn. I walked forward and held out my hand. A silver holographic wolf flew from my hand, it howled and turned into the same staff from my dream. I walked over and rejoined my friends. "Just a word of advice to students, just so you know, your staff can easily change into portable items such as rings, necklaces or bracelets. You can also turn your animus into a physical creature." the headmaster said. And with that, we all headed out of the arena to do whatever they wanted until the dance tonight.