The Elementalist (Book 1)

Chapter 3: The Test

As Caleb takes a sit with Liza, and took a few seconds to glance again at his surroundings observing the magical furniture, floating lamps, with a ceiling of somewhat like a galactic visual effects with constellations. Liza was tempting to start a conversation to Caleb, She takes a huge sigh and invited him to go to Townsquare and pointed at the door with many doorknobs, that made him hesitate and investigate the knobs, and notice that there are different labels written on each of the doorknobs. Caleb reads each label, one says "Shadow Forest", "Townsquare", "Caleb's room", and many others. Liza explained to Caleb of what the doorknobs are for. She opened the door turning the knob that says "river" and the river appears through the door and she did it to the other knobs showing it to Caleb of what really happens. Until she turns the knob saying Townsquare, Liza convince him to come with her, then Caleb agreed.

Once they pass through the doorway, it brought them to Townsquare, Caleb notice a tall creature with rough skin and an eyepatch. It turned around and caught Caleb starring him and it furiously stared back at Caleb until their eyes met, but Liza pulled him away quickly and they went to a store just in front of the market.

As they entered a small bell rang to alert the shopkeeper that someone is at the door. A green glowing elf noticed them, Liza and Caleb approach the creature and introduced Caleb to the elf and likewise. She was Crystal. Liza immediately told Crystal about Caleb that he didn't know how to cast a spell and requested a pouch of "spell caster's dust". Crystal began to shuffle some items from the shelf behind her and said "I've got what he needed". When she hand over the pouch, Liza gently inserted her hand into the pouch and grabbed some dust from it and poured it on top of Caleb's head. Caleb's arms began to enlarge as he feels the power emerging through his veins. Crystal interrupts both of them and brought out a wooden box containing orbs. The orbs shines brightly covering their vision. As they recovered their sight, their eyes emerged as they saw the four orbs laying inside the box. Caleb was amazed with exaggeration seeing the orbs right before him. The orbs have different colors, the white, red, blue, green, and yellow. Caleb peek inside and saw the yellow orb is missing from the collection. The yellow orb is only exclusive for the highcasters and one of them is the dean of the school "Prof. Shiffas" only few can handle the power of the said orb Liza explained. She took the white orb and handed it over to Caleb and picked the blue orb gripping it on her left hand and her right hand was raise above her head pointing the ceiling casting a spell, Crystal interrupt and suggested "maybe you should do it outside", but as soon as she finished a bright blue cloud appeared on top of her which rains blue water droplets. Caleb notice that Crystal is raging in anger "Did you heard what I said?" Liza looked at her and replied "No need to be worried it's just a charm spell.

Later then...

Both of them said "goodbye" to Crystal and went back to the door where they went from and into their room's lounge area. Liza closed the door as Caleb brought out the orb again and still wandering on how to use it. Then suddenly Liza noticed a shadow near the fireplace that made her turn around quickly, and made her frighten. Caleb got a suspicion on Liza, acting weird of some sort. When Liza glanced back to Caleb her eyes emerged as if she saw something from Caleb's back, it made Caleb turned around and saw the Shadow creature. It was gray, but quickly turned red and engaged to him that made him fall on his back and raise his hand towards the creature which released a yellow beam that made the creature pulverize into dust. Liza was shock of what Caleb did, she then confronted him of what did he do.

Later on....

The two decided to not tell anyone in the school of what just happened even their dorm mates. The two got on with it and tried to forget everything that they saw, it is getting late so the two went to their rooms and get ready for bed.

The next day.

Caleb woke up early and saw a briefcase and a robes like uniforms. He went to open the case and saw his clothes from his apartment was all inside it. Caleb then thought that "maybe I was meant to be in this place". Caleb decided to go out and saw Gilbert just leaning at a wall by the hallway, he notice Caleb and asked him "are you ready for the test this morning?" Caleb remembered about the test that was told yesterday at the assembly, "yes, I am". Caleb replied.

Later that morning.

All the freshmen rush through the hallway and on to the bulletin board. Caleb squeeze his way into the crowd and scanned for his name on the list and found it listed under the supervision of Prof. Shiffas, (the school dean). As he made his way to his class he came across Jordan who is in the same class as he did. The two went on to their class for the test. As they brought their selves outside of a house full of twisted vines and covered with leaves. They both saw the line of freshmen towards the door. As the line towards the room is getting shorter and shorter Caleb's heart began to beat faster.

Until...

The next in line was Jordan who was before Caleb. Caleb tensed up as soon as Jordan entered the room, his hand was shaking and his heart beats faster, until Jordan was done it was Caleb's turn to go in.

The room was full of living plant, a garden of some sort. Caleb notice a man like figure in one of the corners of the room writing down on a note with a quill, he approach it and figured out that it was a satyr Caleb stared at him for a minute, he never imagine that Prof. Shiffas would be a satyr. Caleb found himself shocked of what he just saw. The Professor began to speak with a very clear tune, he touches Caleb's head and said "you have a great energy within you, young one."

Later on...

Professor Shiffas mention that Caleb has a powerful energy that he is carrying in his veins, and then said "you're an Earth and Sun Spellcaster". Caleb didn't understand what the professor told him and showed him a chart of the elements. The first tier was fire, water, earth, and air. The second tier was wood and metal. And lastly the third tier was sun and moon. Caleb notice that the fourth tier above moon and sun have no symbol drawn on it. Prof. Shiffas examplained to Caleb that their is one more element that a highcaster like him can discover and create the element that is missing on the chart. And Caleb has a potential to be one. The professor believe in Caleb and adviced him to study the sun and moon elements because Caleb is not just an uncommon, but one of the rare and powerful elementalist in the world. The Prof. Brought out a book from under his desk and dropped an ink into it using a quill. The ink began to spread out through the pages and write the schedule and the things that Caleb needs to study to become the most powerful above all. The Prof. gave the book to Caleb and reminded him to study more about the elements. Caleb got his way outside of the room and saw Jordan waiting for him outside and when for a walk.

After the test...

The two wander around and decided to go to the fountain at the center of the school. As the two talked about life Liza saw them and jumps onto them that interrupt their conversation. Soon all of them burst into laughter. It is getting late they all agreed to go inside and some foods in the great hall. Caleb wandered why did they haven't eat for breakfast and lunch, then the other two replied "in this world we don't get hungry when it is daylight". Caleb smiled with greatness in his face while making their way into the great hall.

To be continued...