The Stones of Time

Chapter Five Aria

"What do you think about this one?" Luna pointed to the herbal study table.

I shook my head. "Too dull."

"What isn't too dull for you?" Asher, my twin, sighed. "We've looked at at least twenty different tables and none of them interested you."

"You have to pick the perfect activities to have the perfect year. I can't ruin it with one bad choice."

Asher smirked, "like when you picked unicorn riding?"

"How was supposed to know it involved picking up their waste most of the time? I thought it only involved riding unicorns. Like the name suggests."

Fifteen Fest could arguably be the best part of the school year. With the festive tables, games, and no school work how could it not be?

All the school activities got their own table, each set up in a ring around the Green. The upper level students didn't bother looking at the tables, they already knew what all was here. Instead they walked around the gardens, sat at the tables, or played yard games in the Green with their friends.

I was sure Asher and Luna already knew what they wanted to do, but I on the other hand needed to find at least one activity.

"Are you going to do wistel ball again?" I gestured at the table set up for it.

"Of course!" Asher said, "you don't need to ask me."

"Do you think you'll be captain again? What if one of the incoming level ones is really good?" Luna asked.

"Why wouldn't they make him captain again? He was the first level one captain since like 5,500 last year."

"Because Liam will get captain this year." Vita, the one person I hoped not to see again this year, said as she picked up a pamphlet. She handed it to her cousin, Liam.

With her white blond hair and sweet smile you'd think she was an angel, but she was nothing like one.

Being the niece to the Light Councilor Aurora inflated her ego in ways nobody needed.

"Are you sure Liam wants the position of captain?" I asked. Liam never struck me as someone who wanted to be a leader, nor did I think he was passionate about wistel ball.

"Of course!" She snapped back.

"Vita, we don't really have time for this." Liam tugged on his cousin's shirt.

Vita turned to Liam, "you don't want to admit that you'll become captain this year. My aunt, you know who she is, has given Liam a private training coach. He'll be way better than Asher in no time."

"Just because your aunt is a Councilor doesn't mean you're anyone important. You should really stop bringing her up." I sighed.

"Huh, looks like Aria finally grew a spine." She grinned at Liam, but he didn't share her smile.

I flinched, last school year Vita made my life a living Hel. Luna said to ignore her and soon she'd get bored, but this year I was sick of doing that.

"Aria, let's get going." Luna said, "we shouldn't bother with her."

"Yeah you're right." I turned around to follow Asher and Luna. I knew when to pick my fights, and now she wasn't worth a second of my time.

"What's her problem?" Asher asked once we were out of earshot.

I shrugged, "I don't know. She likely wanted something to brag about." I glanced back at her, she was already back to her normal group of people. Only, there was a new face I saw. Poor kid, wouldn't wish Vita upon anyone.

"Are the games going to begin soon? We should head to the stage." Luna asked, "or do you want to do one more lap around the tables?"

"I'm sure I can find an activity before the end of the day tomorrow."

Asher nodded, "plus there's no way I'd want to be late for one of Stera's speeches. Of course they're deadly boring, but I wouldn't risk getting in trouble with her."

We stepped off of the paved path onto fresh cut grass to the stage that was by the Greenhouse.

"I don't think anyone in their right mind would do that." I added.

"Hey guys!" I looked away from Asher and Luna to see Macy waving at us from the stage area. Her dark hair bounced up and down as she ran over to us, with her bright blue eyes gleaming with excitement.

"The announcement for the games is about to start." Kila added, following Macy.

"The next game is supposed to be a trivia game!" Isla added.

"You hear that Luna?" I nudged her arm, "this game is going to be perfect for you."

"Attention everyone," Principal Stera's cold voice cut through the crowd.

I remembered Principal Stera from last year. She was a stuffy middle aged woman with long dark brown hair that was always pulled back into a bun, and whenever you passed her you thought that her cold icy blue eyes were following you.

It seemed fitting that she was an ice elementalist.

"Everyone should've made their way to the stage by now, and I am going to explain the games."

All of the students whispered in excitement until Stera hushed them down.

"There will be three different games. First, the intelligence round which will consist of a trivia game. Each magic will select a competitor to go up against another magic that is drawn at random. Whichever team wins gets a badge for their sash. For that game you are allowed to ask for help from your teammates or steal a question your opponent got wrong. The next game is a physical game. You'll learn more about that one once the time has come. Everyone is dismissed."