A Matchsticks Fate

Part 4

Raiden walks ahead of me out of the room. We make our way down the hall and up a flight of steps and then another and another. Considering all the magic used in this place you'd think they could find a way to make the stairs less exhausting. But I don't know where we are now. We've gone up three flights of steps, but the dorms are only on the three floors below us. Raiden suddenly stops. I see a a solid red brick wall in front of us, what now?

'Umm, Raiden,' I stand beside him, 'I have just one question. What?'

'Descriptive,' he's looking down at me with a look I can't define on his face, 'it's not a fully solid wall. Look.' He puts his hand flat on the wall and holds it there for a few seconds. The wall begins to wobble and fade. For a few seconds it looks like a clear, waving water body. Then it became completely translucent. Of course it's a thought penetration structure. There are a bunch of these all over the school. But since the passwords are non verbal, said in the mind instead of out loud I don't know how to get through any of them. We walk through where the wall was, and quickly. Penetration structures disappear only for a few seconds and then they come back in full form. Which means if we don't get through quickly we could run directly into a brick wall; not fun.

'I have another question,' I look at Raiden, 'where are we going, what's with the wall, and why is there a thought penetration wall in the dormitories?'

'That was three question.' Raiden says coyly.

'Whatever,' I roll my eyes, 'again I ask, where, what and why?'

'Alright,' he sighs likes he's done a million times before because of me, 'this place we're walking through is a hidden wing in the dormitories. It's only used for important meetings and other special matters. The wall is to keep the students out. As for the reason it's in the dormitories, I'm not completely sure. I suspect it's because it had the most room and was most convenient because of that fact, and one of the last places people expected a hidden hall to be.'

'Okay then.' That actually makes a lot of sense.

We walk down the hall a little farther. It really just looks like another dormitory hall. Suddenly my ears pick something up. Either I'm I'm hearing things or there are people in one of the rooms. I am hearing things but that's because there are definitely voices coming from down the hall. At the moment they're quiet because of the distance, but whoever it is is definitely yelling. And it looks like we are headed right for the room full of noise, not a surprise. I'm guessing this is the part where I am met by a bunch of people who are mad at me and decide which punishment is worse for me. Except, these teachers really don't know how to punish trouble makers. Suspension, no outside time, and confinement are useless. They're actually pretty nice; I spend less time with people I dislike which is almost everyone.

We've made it to the room but Raiden is hesitant for a bit before opening the door. He looks nervous but I don't understand why. I peer in to see I was at least mostly right about who's here. Mostly a lot of adults, teachers, and city officials are standing around what looks to be a normal dorm room. But there is one guy standing by the window with his back to the door. There's something really familiar about the way he's standing, but why? I feel like I know him somehow. I follow Raiden into the room and everyone becomes very quiet very quickly. I can feel every eye on me, apart from the guy at the window. Thankfully, most of them are respectful enough to not try to penetrate my mind. Although there is some ammature fellow here who is really determined to get inside my head. Yeah, good luck with that bucko, even before I was taught how to block penetration I was really good at keeping people out. So, now what? No one is talking and this silence is making me really uncomfortable; I have to end it.

'So, what's going to happen to me?' I finally say, the silence too much to bare. All I get is a few shocked looks and some very offended ones. 'Hey,' I start, 'we all know why I'm here so why not deal with it? Come on, someone tell me what's going to happen.'