Undefined - The Zephyr Book 1 ? (completed)(#Wattys2016)

Chapter 32 - Cello

Author's Note: We're almost at the Plunge, one more chapter and you get to see the inside of the Zephyr.... are you as excited as I am?

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32 - Cello

The next day I barely make it through the written exam. I can't read a Fade chart if my life depended on it, I have no idea about Light waves and potency, and I certainly don't know how LUs are measured while under the influence of ray-breakers. Syianne tells me she did horribly, but I know by now not to take her for her word. She's a harsher judge of herself than anyone would dare to be. Horrible in her book probably means she scored 98 out of 100.

The day after the exam and the day after that, we go into Plunge training under the devoted care of Minty. She helps us simulate the inner world of the Zephyr with her illusionary magic. Even though her illusions are supposedly accurate, capturing our senses and making us see, hear and feel things that aren't really there, I formed the habit of looking through them and effectively shattering them. Minty explained to me that she's capable of trapping people in her own make-believe world, but that an illusion could only work as long as the mind is willing to be deceived. Refusing to see what isn't true is a subconscious act, most people could fight it but never break it while some are naturally hard to trick. In the end, all I did was try to keep my mind in check from destroying illusions. Eventually, Minty sat me aside and trained Syianne alone.

Whatever I managed to gather from Minty's illusion seemed too arbitrary. I could not fathom what the Zephyr is actually like. The day of our Plunge arrives with me feeling more than a little desperate over the fact that I don't know anything at all about what I'm jumping into. I didn't think I'd feel as nervous as I do, but that morning when I open my eyes I realise that this is probably the most dangerous thing I'll experience in my life. There's an army of eels dancing inside my stomach.

It's all happening too soon.

We've been told not to eat, not even Zribble, from the evening before our Plunge. It's a relief because eating the stuff has become an annoying of habit, just for the sake of keeping my body sustained.

As I dress in my Zephyr uniform and put the Lightsilver suit in my black uniform bag, I comfort myself with the thought of today's lunch. Syianne, Fellin and I will dine like kings, or at least like human beings. The only thing we'll avoid eating is Zribble and tomatoes.

Mornings in the mansion are chaotic and lively. Leolan sleeps in the master bedroom and has his own bathroom and toilet leaving the seven of us "kids" to share one toilet in the morning. This ensures plenty of arguments, mainly between Blane and Minty, but one time I got caught up in it as well. I share a room with Hans, who has a ghost-like presence. He supposedly wakes up every morning at dawn to tend to his garden before he leaves for the Zephyr.

With so many people around, Syianne often fades into the background. I purposefully order a rail-car for just the two of us this morning thinking we could both use the calm before the storm.

She doesn't appear to notice that it's only me and her in a two person car, rather than sharing one with Blane, Minty, Tiger and Kaiphine. She stares into space with a vacant expression. I ruffle her hair, trying to get her to snap out of it. She stares at me, as if seeing me for the first time.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Cello," she says. I know what she's thinking: If she had somehow purposefully fallen into that riot, someone had been trying to stop her from Plunging. Syianne had told me that the black Jewels had been plotting something concerning her. Could that have been it? It doesn't make sense because it was Leolan who rescued her. Maybe it was meant to be was some sort of warning, because she overheard that conversation between those two black Jewels? Or maybe someone else is out to get her? Was it an attempt to prevent the black Jewels from achieving their plans with Syianne?