Mage Academy

A Journey of Discovery

It turns out going down the building is easier than going up it, and only fifteen minutes later we are walking across the Academy lawn in the direction of the forest. When we told our ghosts our plan, they were surprisingly up for it. "We need to know what's going on." They said.

I was all for it as well, but now as I look at the immense blackness behind the first row of trees, I am hesitant. But there is no going back now. Max brought a watch with him so we don't lose track of time. We need to be back in our dorms by five am at the latest, before anyone, even the caretakers, get up.

"Wait." I say, stopping in my tracks. Max stops too, a questioning frown on his face. "We can't just walk-- that would take too long." I turn around and walk back to the Academy. "I have an idea."

"Please tell me it's not Air Sticks!" Gibby whines. I shake my head.

"I think we've learnt from last time that Air Sticks aren't a good idea for Shadow Forest."

Max catches up with me, and I lead us to a door in the wall of the building. I crouch down and have a look at the key hole, and send a blast of Water through it, then freeze it. The lock breaks. I try the handle and the door heavily opens.

"Well done!" Max whistles, impressed.

"Definitely one of the most useful tricks I've leaned." I turn on the light switch and the room uncovers dozens of bikes, packed against each other, some even hanging on the walls.

"How did you know these were here?!" Max awes, stroking the shiny bicycles.

"When we were on the lawn this morning, doing Air Stick training, I saw a Group take bikes out. They must have had Hot Wheels for their activity!"

Hot Wheels is a Fire element sport. If you look closely, you can see that these aren't regular earth bikes; they have pumps on them that you blow Fire into, which moves the wheels. My grandparents have one in their house, and let me use it around Moonbeam-- they are so much fun!! You don't even have to pump your legs if you can send enough Fire, but if you do it makes you go all the more faster.

The best thing about Hot Wheel bikes though, is the fact that they can FLY.

You have to be talented at Fire to make them carry you in the air, but luckily Max and I are both Fire majors!!

We wheel them out of the room and toward the forest. Max looks super happy. Gibby is happy--as happy as Gibby can be-- too, because he knows I can Hot Wheel pretty well.

We stop a few metres away from the edge of the forest, and climb onto our bikes.

"I can hear a heartbeat!" Max says excitedly.

"Are you sure it's the Monsters?" Blue asks, curled up around Max's neck.

"It's the same heartbeat I heard earlier."

Suddenly, I feel as though I am being impaled through my chest. My heart throbs, and I FEEL it-- that presence. "I can feel it too. That thing is calling us!"

"Whoop-de-do! Let's follow the ferocious beast that has the power to kill us!" Gibby mutters sarcastically, but he readies himself on my shoulder. I take his words as the firing pistol, and blast Fire into the pumps on the handlebars. The wheels burst into flames shooting me forward and I thrust the handlebars up, lifting the front wheel and shooting more and more Fire into the pumps.

The bike continues to blast forward, the pumps hard at work lifting the bike up, up, up into the air. I laugh with glee as we curve upwards, flying in the silver light of the moon, slicing through the velvety night sky. I brush the tree tops, and then I am souring over the forest. I turn to Max who is a few feet to my side, with the widest grin on my face. He grins back, his eyes sparking like the stars. Even Gibby is laughing with joy. THIS is magical.

Then I get the same stab at my heart. I look to the left and see a dark abyss, shades darker than the rest of the forest. I can see the sheer size of Shadow Forest from up here-- it's colossal. I turn my bike and fly towards it, and Max follows suit.

In the distance something glints, a silver glint in the dark span of trees that looks to me like a fallen star. That is where we're going. "Lets go to that silver light!" I call to Max.

"What light? The heartbeat is over there!" Max points towards the same spot where I can see the bright light. He can't see it, and I can't hear the heartbeat, but we are both being called by this thing.

We cross over Shadow Forest, and the air noticeably becomes colder. I take a deep breath, trying to calm my escalating nerves. I feel safe up here, but soon we are going to be down there, and who knows what will happen.

The silver light is blinding, and my heart is aching painfully.

We are here.

Right over whatever it is that is calling us.

The silver light fades. I peer down into the forest, but it's no use. It's impossible to see anything, even with a Fire ball. "We have to go down there." I say nervously, but determined. It's time for a revelation. Or an attack. Or both, who knows. It's time to venture into Shadow Forest.

Max looks over at me and we nod at one another, sending silent wishes of luck. Gibby and Blue do the same to each other.

And then we plunge down, deep into the abyss.