The Haze [The Rosati Series]

eight

"World of witches? All these people are...like witches?" I asked in awe.

"Basically." Amerie nodded.

"Wow...this is incredible. How did we get here? I mean where are we exactly?"

"We call it the in between."

"Like the place they say you go in movies and stuff when you're not necessarily alive or dead?" I'm sure my astonishment made me look worse than a kid with a nagging sweet tooth, stuck in a candy store.

"Exactly."

"Didn't we watch a movie like that before? What was it, Lovely Bones?" I asked struggling to recall the distant memory.

"I think-"

"Chit chat later. Newbie Druid explanations now." Nate interrupted.

"Whatever." Amerie rolled her eyes. "Any who, but yea. Think of it like the New York, or Los Angeles of our world. Some decided that living a normal, human life back home just isn't for them; living here is always an option for the Baik. Follow me."

As Amerie walked closer to the golden gates, they gently eased open, closing almost as soon as we stepped through. I stayed close to Amerie as we weaved our way through the hundreds of people. It was so strange. These people looked like every day, average, people, yet they all obtained some form of magic. You'd honestly never be able to tell if you didn't know.

Most of the people we passed were either engaged in casual conversation, friendly laughs, or just going about their business.

"It's like our own mini society." I tried not to gawk too hard at the strangers, or large, and elaborate buildings I saw.

"Basically, it's always nice to know there's a place like this waiting for you. Somewhere where you can fit in, you know." Derrick said pride fully.

I could tell this was a highly regarded place among the Druids. A place they could call...home, and nothing was more special than that; or at least to them.

Amerie's pace slowed down as we arrived to a building that had been larger than any I'd seen so far. Scripted elegantly across the front of the building, in large, black letters read: The Academy

"Welcome to the Academy. This place is designed specifically for new druids. Here, you'll do all of your training, and learn everything you'll need to know." Amerie said reaching for the handle of the door.

Amerie, Nate, and Derrick showed me around the Academy. It held what seemed like hundreds of rooms, small and large, and halls; it even had its own massive library. There was a fair amount of people spread throughout the facility training. Some even had instructors. I felt an odd connection with these people. Just like me, they'd been thrown into a life they'd never asked for. They were being forced to rearrange their entire lives so they could properly fulfill their so called destiny that every druid supposedly had.

We were currently standing in one of the larger rooms that happened to filled with hundreds of chairs in horizontal rows. They were all facing a large stage-like platform. I think I'd heard Nate call it the torium.

"So what do you think of the facility so far?" An unfamiliar voice caused all of us to turn around.

In front of me stood a gorgeously stunning girl who looked to be around my age. (I was starting to think that it was a Druid thing. Everyone here had a natural charm about them, but when I thought about my appearance that ship sailed rather quickly.) Her eyes were emerald green, and long auburn hair flowed down her back in gentle waves. It reminded me of my hair before Amerie went all ax murder on it and chopped it off. Her slim frame was complemented by slight curves, and she wore a smug smile on her face.