A Storm in the Making

Chapter 24 -- The Wizard Olympics

By the time we red-belts were tested, most of the hillside was empty.  That was fine by me. It would be that much less of an audience to my upcoming humiliation.

 The Wizard Olympics as I thought of it, had acclimated me somewhat to everything.  I'd seen plenty of wizards fail in their attempts.  Almost as many as moved to the next level. So, I would be just one of many who didn't have the ability to move up the food chain.  Also by this time, all the wizardy stuff was starting to feel less weird and more natural.

It was no surprise that Luke and Uncle both tested out of red.  Luke for his mind-reading, of course. Luke stood blindfolded at one end of the field, and was able to successfully tell all three Wizards what they had written down on a stone tablet at the other end.

Uncle moved up for his ability to manipulate stationary objects.  There were several piles of stones along the uphill side of the field. They had been put there for the very purpose of testing manipulation skills.  Uncle could lift them all like they were piles of feathers. 

.

Maude was excused from being tested, although she was required to be there so the Hermits could access her mental condition.  Edgar couldn’t seem to focus on anything but worrying about what Maude might do without him by her side.  Needlessly, as a matter of fact. She sat quietly the entire time he was out on the field.  It was no surprise, though, when it was announced that Edgar had no known magical abilities.

Dottie surprised herself as much as the rest of us with her skill at intuition.  She was blindfolded, as Luke had been. No matter where Varak moved on the field, she could say with unerring accuracy where he was.  She could tell truth from lies.  She could also sense when Varak held a weapon in his hand and when he didn’t.

Andrew was next, and surprised everyone almost as much as himself, when he literally resurrected a dead plant.  He was given a blue belt and declared a 1st Level healer.  Wow, I didn’t see that coming. We were twins. I should have known.  It left me a little envious watching him strut off the field like a silly young  peacock.

Harry Baxter tested out of red in the area of shielding. He could only shield himself. However, not even Vorst was able to break through his mental shield and read his mind.

Nigel and I were the last two Red Belts waiting to be tested.  We watched Harry with mixed emotions.  It was creepy that he could hold off a 9th Level wizard the way he did.

“The rat protecting himself,” Nigel snarled quietly in my ear.  “That bloke’s gonna be bloody trouble, mind,” Nigel then predicted, causing a shiver to slither down my spine.  I couldn’t help but agree with him.  I didn’t need intuition to feel that in my gut.

 Then they called Nigel, and I was all alone on the bench.

If Julius and Chloe surprised me, then Nigel outright shocked me with his abilities. 

His first ability was controlling elements.  Varak caused a stiff wind to blow across the field.  Nigel turned it into a small tornado and sent it scurrying towards Varak like a spinning top.

Varak sent it back towards Nigel.  Nigel reached up and seemed to grab a lightning bolt out of that cloudless lavender sky and blew up the tornado. He then reached out towards Varak in the same motion and shot a stream of flame at him.  Varak deflected the flame upwards into the sky where it harmlessly dissipated.

Those feats earned Nigel a blue belt.  But he requested to try for his 2nd level belt, and after a moment’s consultation, the Hermits agreed to let him try.

Nigel chose to be tested in fine arts, specifically in drawing. 

He immediately pointed to the sky.  With a twist of his hands he created a perfect picture of Varak solely from clouds that had not been there a moment before. 

Next, using just his finger, Nigel  drew a picture of Vorst in the sand. 

Lastly, Nigel created a large block of ice in the field, and sculpted it into a three-dimensional bust of Natos.

He winked at me as they handed him his yellow belt, and I couldn’t help smiling back at him in return.  Maybe it was my imagination, but the whole time Nigel was being tested, I had the feeling he was holding back.  Way back. He didn't touch his real power.  But I didn’t have too much time to dwell on Nigel, because they called my name just then.

I felt the bottom drop out of my stomach.

Trembling, I shuffled out onto the field and faced the three most powerful wizards on Witches Isle; maybe all of Dardara. I was thankful I had not put anything in my stomach today.  Otherwise, I would have embarrassed myself and my family right there on the spot.

The three Hermits studied me intently for an agonizingly long time.  In the total silence of their scrutiny, I could hear a quiet murmuring from a family of spectators on the hillside packing up to go home.  I could hear an insect buzzing nearby.  Someone coughed and the sound echoed across the slope.

This was unusual, I thought.  I couldn’t recall the Hermits doing this silent treatment to anyone else today.  In my peripheral vision, I saw both Julius and Dr. Spinner leaning forward intently—as if they were expecting to see something they had been waiting for.

Then suddenly Varak was in my mind with me. I mean literally there—just like Julius had been the day before.

If you can hear me, do not speak, child. Just raise one finger, Varak said kindly inside my head.  It’s hard to describe what it felt like to hear Varak talking to me. Like we were alone together in a room, maybe?  But not the way Julius and I had been.

I was too shocked to do anything but what I was told.  I held up my finger.

Then Vorst’s voice joined Varak’s.   If you can hear both of us, do not speak.  Just hold up two fingers.  His voice was gruffer than Varak’s but no less kind.

I swallowed nervously and did what he asked and held up two fingers.      

Something felt very weird about this whole test thing.  What kind of test is this, I wondered.

A very special test, child,  Natos answered me.   Fear not.  We mean you no harm.  Natos voice was comforting.  If you can hear all three of us, again do not speak, just hold up three fingers. 

I felt stupid standing there in the heavy silence that hung over the field holding up three fingers, but I did as they requested. 

Thank you,  the three Hermits said simultaneously. Your ability brings us great joy and hope.

 Please do not speak of this test to anyone,  warned Varak. 

We will meet with you privately to discuss your results with you,  Vorst added. 

Dr. Spinner will contact you shortly,  Natos confided. 

You did well, child,  Varak spoke again. 

“Go in peace,” Vorst’s voice said kindly. 

May Rojas’ blessing be with you,  Natos’ gentle voice faded away, and all three of them were gone from my mind.

Stupidly, I stood there still holding up my three fingers.

I was stunned.  I tried to stumble off the field with my fingers still raised.  I barely heard the announcement that I had no known magical abilities, before Julius was there.  He used his translocation ability to reach me.  Almost simultaneously came Nigel and William Helm.  

Julius gently lowered my hand as his arm went around my waist, and his cry of “Storm,” was an agony in itself. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered near my ear and kissed my forehead.

Staring defiantly at Nigel and William Helm, Julius scooped me up in his arms.

“Be gone!” he ordered Nigel and William Helm.  “She’s mine!”

And, then suddenly, it was Julius and I who were gone.