Chronicals of the First Circle

Chapter 3

Everyone in the First Circle was gathered into the large field behind the building. While usually this area was used as either a sports field or other training exercises, that day it was being used as a selection pool. Each branch of the academy was divided and set up in a line. The leaders of each faction stood at attention in front of their respected lines. These leaders were the only ones with the information on what exactly was going on.

The people in the lines shuffled and murmured to themselves. They hadn’t gotten any information on why they were being gathered and had no idea of the importance of this event.

A hush fell over the field as a kid, no older then seventeen, was escorted into the area. Three guards, one on each side and behind him, herded him forward, with two scientists in tow. It was now over the intercom that the headmaster began to explain.

“Students of The First Circle, this is a monumental day for The First Circle and all branching organizations. You have all been told that if you work hard, you will be rewarded. Well students, this is your judgment day. Five of you will be chosen to forge a new path. This is the dawn of a new call out team. A team that will be deployed on missions more suited for those of your age and skills. This will decide who will be introduced into this team.” The intercom shuddered and then clicked off. The headmaster walked out onto the balcony to watch the event.

The boy shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around. The head guard nodded and then the boy stepped forward. All eyes were on him. He started down then line. He stared at the kids in the gray cloaks and wondered. He stopped in front of one, he was tall, and his black hair fell down into his face, almost covering his gray green eyes.

“This one.” The boy said bluntly and then turned and moved on. The scientists scribbled the students name down on the paper, Calsifer Rend.

The boy continued walking but then stopped and retraced back into the gray cloaks. He stepped back and tried to pinpoint the aura that had caught his attention, however, it was scattered, a trick known by few. The boy’s eyes scanned the feet, looking for the odd one out and he found it. He smirked and pointed at him, “And you, you too.”

The student didn’t react. His glasses reflected the sun and hid his eyes. His black hair fell down over one of his eyes, matching his shoes.

“Dowser,” the scientist called over to him, “you already have one chosen from the Mana Clan.”

The boy, Dowser, turned and sneered at the man, “I’m sorry, I thought you trusted me to pick those to be in this new team of yours.”

The scientist flustered and glanced at the head guard. The head guard just glared at the man. “Right, carry one then.”

Dowser nodded and then continued down the line. He reached the blue cloaks and studied them. Their auras were jumbled and hard to tell apart, it would seem that most of them were related in some way. The boy sighed and narrowed it down to one girl. He stood in front of her and tried to figure her out. Her blond hair fell down to her elbows, but it was her eyes that concerned him. They were pink and showed a sort of barrier between her and her potential. The boy shrugged, “Her too.”

He continued on into the elementals. There really was no one of interest in the water, air, or earth sections. Dowser’s eyes kept being pulled towards the fire. He stood in front of the line and tilted his head. Two auras were so vibrant and heavy in the air they were covering up everyone else’s. He stood in between the two students. They were obviously brother and sister, their auras so much alike that they melded together.

“Step apart please.” Dowser said.

“What?” The boy asked, his eyes piercing and giving off the feeling of control. Dowser didn’t like him.

“I said, step apart.” Dowser growled back at him. The girl sighed and stepped forward and moved to her right, away from her brother.

“Is this good?” She asked. She had the ‘I don’t give a shit’ tone to her voice.

“That’s good,” Dowser turned to the scientists, “And then her, she’s on the team too.”

The girl looked at her brother, dumbfounded.

Dowser shrugged to himself and then turned away from the line. He walked over to the scientists. “I’m done here.”

“But…”

“And yeah, I can count.” Dowser snapped, “I know there are only four, but the fifth one isn’t here.”

“Where is the fifth one?” The head guard demanded.

Dowser pushed his hands deeper into his pockets and lowered his head, “I don’t know, he’s not in range.” And with that guards and scientists left with Dowser in the middle.