Chapter 2










They were just sitting there waiting for Astrid to enter the room. As soon as she did enter they crowded around her, introducing themselves.

She knew who each of them were already but she still let them talk away.

Mrs. Brown came in from the doors behind her dressed in a deep orange robe.

“Why is she wearing that color?” Astrid asked.

“Because it represents strength,” Sam said.

“I forgot she was strength,” Astrid thought aloud.

“Children, please sit down and then we will decide what you will be,” Mrs. Brown said in mystified voice.

They all sat down at the same round table.

“I will go into your deep emotions and will tell you what you are most likely to represent. Now we will go in order by how long you are here. We will start with you Miss. Jarheart,” Mrs. Brown said motioning for Astrid to come with her.

Astrid got up and followed her into the hall.

“I will put my hand on you head and images will flash but don’t be alarmed,” Mrs. Brown said.

She put her hand on Astrid’s head.

Images flashed through her closed eyes. In seconds it was over and she was panting.

“You are very knowledgeable, and that will be your position, knowledge,” Mrs. Brown said sending her back into the room.

“Next Sam,” she said.

She continued through everyone but wouldn’t tell anyone what the person was.

After she finished she came back into the cafeteria and stood before them, just looking not saying.

“Now I will announce what you will represent and I will give you your color robe. Then you will get a handle with your animal on it,” Mrs. Brown said finally.

She took a small pause and then went on, “Astrid Jarheart will be our knowledgeable one. I have seen she is smart and even has the blood for it. Her color robe will be blue and her handle will be an owl. Now please come up and get your things.”

Astrid got up and got her robe and handle that she wouldn’t use until tomorrow.

“Next we have Sam Kane will be power. He has craven power for a long time now. Your color will be purple and you will be the lion,” Mrs. Brown continued.

Sam walked up and got his things also.

“Next we have Holt Hisen who will be cunning. His color is black and his animal is the fox,” Mrs. Brown said as he got up and went to get his things.

“Millicent Claw, you will be beauty. Your color; yellow and your animal is the black panther,” she also walked up, “Now we have Gertrude Harif with love. Animal; the dove. And her color is red.”

Now the only one left without a robe was Teddy. Everyone else was putting on their robes and fitting their wands with the handle. Astrid decided to do the same.

“Teddy Snoker you will be Strength. Your color is orange and your animal is the phoenix,” Mrs. Brown said.

They all had their own robes on now. And most had their handles on their wands. Astrid decided to take off Ms. Browns phoenix handle and slip on her own knew owl one.

She held it in her hand. It felt good. It was light and springy, the wand, but, just as Ms. Brown said, it doesn’t fit her well. Firstly it was to short and second it didn’t feel like her power.

“I remember you saying something about a necklace in our meeting,” Astrid reminded Ms. Brown.

“Yes,” she addressed everyone, “when Astrid’s wand comes a necklace will come also. There will be one for everyone based on your color robe.”

“What are we going to do today?” Sam asked.

“Give me a moment to get everything ready,” Ms. Brown said.

She knelt down and placed the six animals she just called out on the ground.

Everyone looked around in confusion. What was she doing? Has she lost her mind? What does she think she is going to do? Those were a few of the questions racing through Astrid’s mind.

“Now, take your animal and find a spot. It will explain itself,” Ms. Brown said as she finished putting the owl down.

Astrid got up and picked up the owl. She walked over to a corner of the room and placed it down. Blue smoke poured out of the, now open, mouth. It formed a shape floating just above the ground. The shape took form and landed with a thud on the ground. She had materialized from pure smoke. The lady still wasn’t a pure person, she was blue.

“What the . . ,” Astrid was very confused that a person had just formed before her very eyes.

“I am Iris Maganoel, the knowledgeable one. I am what remains of her soul on Earth. Iris preserved me in this animal so I may train you in the arts of knowledge for you first task,” Iris said.

“What task?” Astrid asked puzzled.

“” I am not permitted to inform you because it changes every year,” Iris said, “I am to train you on how to use your wit in battle. I will teach you spells to help you, too.”

They started with the simple spells, such as hot to stun a person, how to trap a person in a box, how to make anything appear in mid air (except food because that is impossible), and how to levitate items.

She practiced with those for a half hour and them went into the harder things to do.

“Now lets move on to one of the more complicated spells,” Iris said.

Astrid just noticed all the floating illusions, in different colors, around her. They weren’t mistakable but if you tried to look past them they seemed to materialized completely and you couldn’t see past them.

“One of the more complicated spells if the ‘brain fart’ spell,” Iris started, “when put on a person they cannot think properly and they will just go with their instincts and not think it through. This can be bad because a person might first think to kill and then automatically kill. But, it may also help because instead of trying to fight, they might run. To do this spell hold your wand firmly in front of you and then you must think about instincts. A blue light should come from your wand if done correctly.”

To Astrid, Iris was a little stuck up and bossy.

“Now try it the best you can,” Iris said.

Astrid held out Ms. Brown’s wand. Her knuckles were white as could be, she was holding it so tight. Her thoughts were filled with a persons instincts. A turquoise light shot from the tip of the wand. It wasn’t blue but at least in was close.

“That was good. But you need to focus more and hold your wand less tightly,” Iris said.

Astrid tried again and this time it turned out a light blue. She was getting somewhere. But she wasn’t exactly there yet.

She tried three more times and it was only a light blue. On the fourth time it turned into a deep blue.

“You have it,” Iris said, “now lets call someone else who is ready over here so you both can practice in real battle.”

Iris floated over to where Holt and his mentor was. The mentor was pitch black, you could barely make out details.

The three of them walked, or floated, over to Astrid.

“Astrid, this is Graven Hisen, the cunning one. And I presume you know Holt Hisen. They have completed their move and you, yours. They wish to duel you,” Iris said, “first you will stand ten feet apart, then you will use every spell you know to either disarm your opponent, or one of you for fits.”

Astrid walked ten feet away. “ Iris, the tables are in the way.”

Iris flicked her wand and all the tables pilled in the corner.

Holding up her wand was hard. Her hand was shaking very badly from the anxiety of trying to impress her mentor.

Holt was also her love and she didn’t want to hurt or confuse him. She didn’t want to do anything that had an effect on him.

Holt now had up his wand, ready to begin.

“On my mark,” Graven said, “now.”

Holt was to fast for her. He pointed the wand at himself and then her disappeared.

Astrid looked closely. He hadn’t disappeared completely. He was just camouflaged. When she looked close she could see the ripple of where he was standing. It was her turn now before he could do damage.

She thought about instincts and instantly a deep blue light came from the tip of her wand. Holt performed some protection, or shield, spell that blocked her own spell.

She concentrated harder. This time a huge deep blue light came out of her wand. It broke Holt’s shield and hit him in the chest. He flew across the room. His spell that he put on himself wore off and her became visible again. He still hadn’t lost his wand.

Astrid snuck a glance at Iris and Graven. Iris showed no emotion on her face. But Graven had mixed emotion on his face. Her was scared that his pupil might loose and he was also amazed at how she just produced that big of a spell.

People were stopping to watch. Everyone had their eyes on Astrid now, waiting to see what would happen next.

Holt got up and ran to her sending stunning spells wildly. None of them hit her but they came close.

He was doing everything that came to mind.

Holt charged her. He almost ran into her but she put up a shield spell, which she didn’t even learn to do.

He hit the shield so hard that it cracked and broke.

What was she going to do now? The only other spells she knew were the levitating spell, trapping spell, and how to conquered things.

An idea formed in her mind. But she was knowledge so she had to think it out.

She took a second to think it out and decided it was perfect.

Holt was charging again. The levitating spell hit him and he instantly flew in the air. She conquered an invisible box underneath him. The levitation spell wore off as he fell into the box. Yet he still didn’t drop his wand. This was getting frustrating.

Her spell on Holt was starting to wear off. He realized he could perform a spell on himself. He did his invisible spell ad disappeared from view.

Levitating an invisible box was hard since she didn’t know where to aim the spell and that Holt was also invisible. Finally after a few tries she could see Holt’s ripple and she levitated the box in midair.

The box flipped and Holt spilled out. His ripple could barely be seen but it was still there.

She knew her plan hadn’t worked but it had been worth a shot.

The spell came out of nowhere. It hit her directly in the chest. Astrid couldn’t move. It must have been a stunning spell.

Her wand flew from her hand.

She concentrated on levitating then wand. It stopped just above the ground. She willed it to move towards her.

The stunning spell wasn’t well performed so it was already wearing off. She could move most of her limbs so she grabbed her wand.

Holt sent another spell at her, but it missed. Missed by a millimeter.

She thought of water and a watery mist spewed out of the tip of her wand. So the magic worked by whatever she thought it would come.

She thought of wings and pointed the wand at her back. Wings popped out of her back.

She fluttered them and began to fly in the air. She looked down at their faces. They showed amazement and confusion on how she could do it. This had to be really hard magic yet she was doing it.

Up high she could tell holt was catching on. He pointed his wand at himself and he started to change before them.

First he was a boy and now he was turning into a gigantic dog.

He was just twenty feet from the ceiling. If he jumped he would have hit his head.

He didn’t have something to hole his wand with and he dropped it.

Astrid had won the duel. She was ecstatic.

She floated down to the ground as Holt transformed back to a person. As she landed her wings disappeared.

“You two fight like adults,” iris said before Graven could get it out.

“You will not need anymore training since you know how to do everything, but everyone else will need to train a little more before the first test,” Graven got out.

“You will have another class before we start the test. I will explain what the actual test is tomorrow, but for now I will give you a short explanation,” Ms. Brown said, “every time we get knew children we have to seek out the strongest of them by performing three tests. Every time knew children come through the tests change.

“When I was a student learning my first test was to walking into a fire and save as many people as I could. I was the top most with twenty people. It will be hard and each test will get harder. The first test will be against one school. The second test against another. And the third test will be only yourselves.

“In the tests you may make teams and if your team wins all of you are appointed. But if you make a team you must be with that team through out all of the tests. You may not go on the team of another school. This will result in elimination.

“You may use any spells to help yourself and you must not give up unless you absolutely have to. Killing is not permitted, but duels are,” Ms. Brown finished.

“So, what your saying is, is that we have to do something by ourselves, or in groups, and we can use magic. People who quit will be eliminated in order and then the last person gets the most points?” Sam asked.

“Yes, that covers most of the details.” Ms Brown started. “Now, tomorrow we will decide teams, if you wish to have one, and we will hand out the items necessary for this test.”

She let that sink in before continuing. “The day after tomorrow the first test will begin.”

Now everyone’s eyes were wide. No one ad known this was coming, especially Astrid. Today was her first meeting and she was already being tested.

“What’s going to happen about school duels?” Millicent asked.

“They will be postponed until this is finished. First we must find out the strongest and then we can pair you up based upon that,” Ms. Brown said.

She dismissed them and Astrid went home with her mind buzzing, just like everyone else’s. She wanted to tell her parents everything, but she couldn’t. Ms. Brown said to tell her parents that she was going on a class trip and wouldn’t be back for a while. And if they asked how long, to just say it would be a while and to contact Ms. Brown. They would get a clue it was time but they wouldn’t fully understand it.

She had also said, that if it came to it, that they wouldn’t let her go that she was to erase their memories of her ever being born. They would forget her and she would slip out the door and come to Ms. Browns house. Astrid hoped it wouldn’t come to that.

Everything her life, she realized, had come to this. Ms. Brown had explained some of it. The way she got her knowledge was from having a part of Iris in her.

She was born a regular person but when she was in the nursery a person had slipped in and put a piece of Iris inside of her.

Another baby had started to cry so she shut her up. The person decided that she would give the other baby, Millicent, the ability of beauty.

The other baby hadn’t been meant for the power, but the power giver decided he, or she, would change the plan.

That is really how she got her power, and how Millicent got hers.

Chapter 3










Things had gone bad from the second she walked in the door.

“Where have you been?” her mother had yelled.

“We’ve been worried sick,” her father went on.

“You could have been dead!” her mother shouted.

“We were about to call the police!” her father screamed.

“Do you know what would happen if the police came?” her mother asked.

Astrid tried to get a word in but her dad spoke for her, “you would be in a lot of trouble and I would have grounded you for about three months. I’m still grounding you for two months.” the vein in her fathers neck pulsed and could be seen from a mile away.

No one would let her get a word in. she felt they didn’t even care about her.

“Go to your -” her dad had started but Astrid cut him off.

“I’m going on a long trip and if you have a problem tell me now,” she waited, there was no response, “I’m leaving in twenty minutes.” she stormed to her room. She still had her backpack on her shoulder so she slipped it onto the bed where she emptied out all her books.

The phone rang and she heard her mom say I got it.

Curiosity overtook her. She pick up the phone and could hear her mom having a conversation.

“She’ll be leaving in twenty minutes. The mission has been accomplished,” her mom’s voice said.

“Where are the real parents?” the other voice asked.

“Unconscious in the closet.”

Those weren’t her real parents?

“Don’t forget the plan. When she leaves follow her and when she gets to Ms. Browns house attack her. Show no mercy. And when the others show up you must get them too. Then you will take them with you back to Head Quarters,” the other voice said.

“I put a tracking chip in each of them. They are each in their upper left arm,” her “mom’s” voice started to change in the middle of the sentence and by the end it was a deep male voice.

Astrid hung up the phone and ran to the bathroom next to her room.

She pulled up her sleeve and could see the small cut where the chip had been placed.

She grabbed the tweezers and a blade from her dad’s shaving kit. She swiped the blade right across the other cut.

She could feel the warm blood run down her arm. She didn’t look because blood always made her feel woozy. She took the tweezers and plunged them into her arm.

Something hit the tweezers and she pulled it out. The pain was excruciating. The thing she pulled out turned out to be the chip.

She wiped the blood from it and took out a pencil, just like Ms. Brown said to use if her parents wouldn’t agree.

She thought of stitches and almost instantly her wound closed up.

She wet a towel and wiped the blood off of her arm.

The chip was weird. It was an irregular shape and black. It was flat, too. She took it back to her room where she opened the window and threw it as far as she could. It landed in the forest in front of her house.

Instantly her parents followed the tracking device.

She got down and hid behind the windowsill. She grabbed for her cell phone that she forgot this morning.

She dialed Ms. Browns number.

“Hello, Ms. Brown speaking,” Ms. Brown said.

“Were being tracked. Don’t let anyone come to your house, there is a chip inside their left arm. These people are following us. I got my chip out and threw it into the forest. The people impersonating my parents are in the forest searching for me,” Astrid said quickly.

“Here are the others cell phone numbers. Tell them everything and tell them to take the chip out and to meet in the school parking lot. Oh, and by the way, your wand arrived. I’ll give it to you at the school,” Ms. Brown said and then gave her a list of numbers to call.

She called the numbers and told them everything. They all took out the chips and then packed something’s ad headed out to the school.

In her bag she packed a few pairs of cloths, a few books, and a pair of sneakers. All of it fit and she knew someone had charmed it to be big so it could fit everything. She put on the bag and considered for a minute.

She couldn’t go out the front door because her “parents” might see her and follow her. So she slipped out the back door and walked the three miles to the school.

When she got there everyone was in the parking lot except Sam.

“Where’s Same?” Astrid asked.

“I haven’t seen him,” Millicent said.

“Where does he live?” Astrid asked.

“Right across the street. But we cannot go there because of the imposters,” Ms. Brown said.

“I can go. They might know who I am but they wont no why I’m here,” a plan formed in Astrid’s mind as she said it.

“O.k. just be careful,” Ms. Brown said, “oh, and take someone with you. Take Holt, he can make you disappear as you walk away so they can’t follow you.”

Before they left Ms. Brown pulled out a nice wand and her handle. Astrid took it and slipped on the handle. She also took out a necklace for each of them. Astrid’s gem was blue and when she put it on it glowed slightly.

She slipped the necklace beneath her shirt where it couldn’t be seen. She slipped her wand into her boot.

Holt followed her over to Sam’s house. They knocked on the door to see a sweet looking pair of people.

“Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Kane. May we come in and talk to your son, Sam, about going to Ms. Browns in a few minutes?” Astrid asked.

They gave each other a smile and said they could come in.

“He should be in his room,” Mrs. Kane said.

They walked up the stairs to his room.

Astrid knocked on the door with no answerer so they just walked in. Inside was a gruesome sight.

Sam was on the floor bleeding freely from the wound. The chip was on the table. Why was he bleeding if he could have used his wand to seal up the wound?

Unless someone had taken his wand.

Astrid raised her wand and healed him up. She cleaned the blood on the floor so nothing was left.

“Have you read Harry Potter?” Astrid asked.

“Yeah, why?” Holt asked.

“You know how they can summon things. I’m going to try that on his wand,” Astrid said.

He didn’t show sings of complaint so she focused on Sam’s wand.

After a few minutes the wand flew into the room.

“I’ll hold on to his wand until he wakes up,” Holt said.

Sam was still unconscious on the floor. An idea formed in her head. Maybe just maybe it could work.

“Holt. Try and wake him with your wand.”

Holt tried but it didn’t work.

Time for plan B.

“Make us invisible,” Astrid said as they disappeared.

She took the chip and threw it deep into the forest that was in his backyard. She heard a splash and knew that it was in the water being carried down the stream.

His parents instantly started to follow.

Astrid levitated Sam’s body and moved it outside.

They walked back across the street to the welcoming arms of Ms. Brown and the others.

“What’s happening?” Millicent asked.

“I do not know. But a sinister force, that is greater than any of us, is trying to get you,” Ms. Brown said.

“Where are we safe?” holt asked.

“Inside the tests and that is all. I will call the other school after we have a quick meeting about teams and maps in the school cafeteria,” Ms. Brown said.

They all walked up to the school, Sam was awake now but he was very weak, where Ms. Brown unlocked the door with her wand. They all stepped inside and went straight to the cafeteria,

The group of children sat around a table while Ms. Brown pulled out the statues that smoked when she set them down.

“The children are in danger. Protect the grounds. Use any spells you can and try and save us,” Ms. Brown said to them.

They instantly set off in different directions.

“Now we must discuss teams. Who wishes to make a team of two?” Ms. Brown said.

Millicent, Sam, and Holt raised their hands.

“With whom, Millicent?” Ms. Brown asked.

“I wish to be with Sam,” Millicent replied.

“Do you agree, Mr. Kane?” Ms. Brow asked.

“Yes, I do,” Sam said.

“Then you will be a team. But you must fight for it. Is there anyone who wishes to be with Holt here?” Ms. Brown asked the others.

“I will,” Astrid said.

“Do you agree Holt?” Ms. Brown asked.

“Yes, we will make a great team,” Holt said.

“Then you are a team. Is there anyone else who wishes to make a team?” she asked.

No answerer.

“Now, I will pass out an I-Pad to each of you. As you will see it is stuck on a map of a Wal-Mart,” she said as she passed out the I-Pads.

“This is the map of your game grounds,” she finished.

“But it’s a Wal-Mart,” Astrid pointed out.

“I’m getting there Ms. Jarheart,” Ms Brown said, “Your first test is about working things to your advantage. You will be locked inside a Wal-Mart and will not be aloud out unless you cry out ‘I give up.’ State your name and the say it again. You will be teleported out of there and will come to the school where me and the other teacher will be. We will watch the whole thing. When the last person, or team, is left they will be awarded the most points and will receive a bonus for the next test.

“When in the store you will choose a major section, such as food, electronics, toys/music, books, cosmetics, clothing, arts and crafts/cards, and survival, and then that is you section for the rest of the test. You have control over everything in that section. The section may only be split between two people and no more. If a section is not claimed it is free and you may go into, and out of, that section any time you wish. At the beginning of the events you will be aloud an hour to get what you need and find a section.

“No one else is aloud in this section unless invited in. Stealing is not advised since you can duel here. The only rule is no killing. You could be in there for years if everyone makes it far enough. Food will run out if there is no plan. You can do anything to get food. You can trade if you like.

“Every week something to your advantage, or disadvantage, will happen. This can change the outcome of the test. Good luck to you all. I will call upon the other school, Hanker Middle School, and see if they are ready to test. If by chance they say no you will sleep at the school with the originals as you guards.”

The explanation was fast but it explained a lot.

Ms. Brown left the room as Iris walked in.

“Astrid, may I speak with you and Holt,” Iris said.

They both walked over to the blue figure.

“I wish to help you. May I see the map,” she took the map and studied it, “I first thing you should get supplies. Get a cart and go to Arts and Crafts, grab a dry erase board and some markers. This is to plan out how to get meals and everything. Then I want you to go to clothing get some cloths for each of you so that when you feel gross you can change. But remember grab what you can and then sort it out later. After that go to electronics and unlock the tablets and I-Pods grab what you want. Grab a computer, too. This will keep you less board. Next go to cosmetics grab perfume and body spray and items like that so you can keep fresh. After all that head back to food and fight for that section. It will take brains to run the food so people don’t starve to death.

“All while she is doing that, Holt, I want you to fight for the food section because if you are separated by sections you aren’t a team any more. You need to stay together.”

“What about survival stuff? Wont we need it?” Holt asked.

“Power people will go there and everyone else will think it’s a great place to be. There will be a huge fight right there at the beginning,” Iris said.

Ms. Brown re-entered the room and Iris left.

“The school said they would come. They should be here in a few seconds, so get ready to go for the test,” Ms. Brown said.

The other students seemed to materialize from nowhere. They weren’t there and now they were.

There were seven children in all and one adult.

The adult pulled out the same animals that Ms. Brown had and placed them on the ground. The people came out and floated to join their other selves.

“They will help protect the school,” the other man said.

“Mr. Hisen, how are you?” Ms. Brown asked.

“Fine,” Mr. Hisen said.

“Mr. Hisen, here, is a descendent of the cunning one Graven Hisen,” Ms. Brown informed them.

So that’s where Astrid had heard that name.

“Why are there seven of them when there are only supposed to be six?” Teddy asked.

“This one is a helper of mine. He will help set up the computers so I can monitor your moves,” Mr. Hisen said.

Everyone had their wand out by now ready for action.

The other students didn’t move from the spot.

Astrid walked up to one of them with Holt trailing behind. She had red hair that couldn’t be real. Her cloths were black and simple. Black jeans and a black T-shirt.

“Hi, I’m Astrid and this is Holt. What about you?” Astrid asked.

“I am Ruby, the knowledgeable one,” Ruby said in a thick Russian accent.

“I’m the knowledgeable one too,” Astrid said. Ruby gave a look of disgust.

“Who is your best dueler?” Holt asked. Astrid was surprised by his voice. He never usually talked, especially in front of new people.

“That will be Drake the strong one,” Ruby said.

“Our best is Astrid right here, or me. And today was her first meeting,” Holt said. Astrid couldn’t believe it, he was trying to show off with her. She got hope that he might like her back.

Holt gave her a smirk.

Ruby just walked off not bothering to say anything.

Astrid and Holt walked back over to where the kid was setting up the monitors.

“Why do they need to see us?” Astrid asked.

“So if anyone quits or does anything bad we know and can get you out,” the boy said.

“Who are you?” Holt asked.

“You don’t need to know me,” the boy said. He was being very mysterious.

“But we want to know,” Astrid said.

“Well that’s to bad, isn’t it,” the boy said.

He had a bad attitude that Astrid didn’t like so she walked away.

“How much longer?” Astrid asked Ms. Brown.

“A few more minutes,” Ms. Brow replied.

She decided she would just sit and wait.

She sat down at one of the tables where Holt soon sat down and the others did also.

“What do you think about those kids?” Gertrude asked.

“There all really snooty,” Teddy said.

The other kids were at the other end of the room probably discussing them.

“It is time to begin,” Ms. Brown said.

Chapter 4










They walked up to the front of the room and lined up with a space in between the two schools.

“I have a quick question,” Ruby said.

“Ask away,” Mr. Hisen said.

“How are we going to deal with school children coming in tomorrow. They will notice us missing and you being the principal, they will notice you will be missing for months,” Ruby said.

“Great question. There is an enchantment on this room so we are in here for seconds but it will feel like months. No one will notice a thing,” Mr. Hisen explained.

It had only just dawned on Astrid that, that would have been a problem. She hadn’t even thought of it and she was supposed to be the smart one.

Astrid had to consider Iris’s advice. It was good advice but it would waste the hour they had. She would have to decide later.

“We are ready to begin,” Ms. Brown said.

“On the count of three you will disappear and reappear in the Wal-Mart. Does everyone have their I-Pad, wands, and necklace?” Mr. Hisen asked.

Astrid could feel her wand in her pants pocket, her necklace around her neck, and her I-Pad in her left hand. She had everything she would need.

“One . . . Two . . . Three . . .”

The room disappeared before her. As she hurtled somewhere she could feel Holt beside her. He took her hand. They held on for their dear lives. Then they landed with a soft thud and Astrid opened her eyes again.

The Wal-Mart looked brand new. It was clean and it was recently restocked. The shelves were full of products.

Just like Iris had said a big fight broke out over who gets survival.

Astrid turned her head towards Holt and nodded. He got the message and ran off to food. Astrid ran off towards the carts. She grabbed one and headed off to the back off the store.

It was empty back there. She could tell everyone was still fighting over survival.

She entered the Arts and crafts section and grabbed the dry erase board and some markers. Check one thing off the list.

She decided that cosmetics was closer so she ran there instead of electronics.

This section was full of everything.

She ran down the shampoo and perfume isle. She stuck her right arm out and ran down the isle knocking everything inside the cart.

Next stop would be electronics.

The electronics were all locked up.

Astrid used an unlocking spell to unlock everything. She grabbed a few more I-Pads, a D.S.I., a few extra chargers, and batteries.

She moved on to clothing.

She took a whole rack and decided she would come back for Holt in a little while.

She was done with her “shopping spree” for now so she headed back to the food section where the battle had moved to.

Holt was dueling six people at once. The other two people were dueling each other.

She froze time and thought of Holt and he unfroze.

“What happened?” Holt asked.

“I froze time. We can move them all across the store so it will take them a while before they can get back here and we can set up protections so they can’t get in,” Astrid explained.

Astrid could feel that Ms. Brown was impressed. She didn’t know how she knew but she did.

They got a bunch of shopping carts and took them back over to food. Everyone was still frozen.

They loaded the carts with two people per cart. They took them to the far east side of the store where toys and music were. They left the carts right outside of the section so that when they woke they wouldn’t be in a section. They went back and forth doing this for what felt like an hour.

After they finished they stunned every single person so when they finally got over it the hour would be almost up and they wouldn’t be by the food section. The only people they couldn’t find were Sam and Millicent. They must have taken control of the survival section. They had an advantage over everyone else.

She went to the freezer section and put the items she got into a freezer where no one would find it.

They were ready to turn time back on.

She returned time on and then just waited.

After fifty minutes a person finally ran past them into a section across from the. She looked at her map and saw that it was Household Items.

The hair that had ran past was unmistakable red, it had to be Ruby. But now her hair was tied in a long braid down her back.

Astrid guessed she must have a big plan for going into that section.

Three more minutes and the section was theirs.

A person wearing a black shirt and jeans came up to them. His eyes were a dazzling shade of brown that seemed to sparkle. His black hair was dirty, like her just climbed out of a ditch.

“Who are you?” Astrid asked.

The guy pointed to himself as if startled he was being addressed. Astrid gave a nod. “I am Drake. And I represent Strength. I have acquired the electronic section and would like to know if when you get board you would like to trade games for food.” His voice was raspy.

“You may enter out section for now,” the hour had just passed and he could enter their section, “so we may discuss trading.”

He entered the section and proceeded to walk to them.

“Would you like some water?” Astrid asked.

He nodded yes and Astrid gave him a bottle.

“Everything will eventually run out and we need to regulate distribution of food so everyone gets some. But we need to get something in return. Would you like to help with this plan?” Astrid asked.

Holt wasn’t saying anything, just glaring at Drake.

“I would love to be a part of it,” Drake said, his voice a lot less raspy now that he had a drink.

“I’ll be right back just give me a chance to get something,” Astrid said.

She walked away leaving Holt behind.

The dry erase board and markers were cold to touch.

When she got back they were waiting for her on the floor.

She quickly got her I-pad and noticed that the sections were outlined in a color, she would have to look into it later.

“How are we going to do this?” Astrid asked as she sat down.

“We have to keep a list of what is traded for what,” Drake said.

“So lets just say I were to trade a cabbage for some towels people will know that that is acceptable, not trading a cookie for a bunch of cloths,” Holt said.

“That would be ok,” Drake said.

Drake seemed off to Astrid for some reason. Like he was hiding something. Astrid had to figure that out.

She took out her wand and pointed it at his chest.

“What is the real reason your hear, because obviously you aren’t here to help with planning,” Astrid said.

Holt caught on and took out his own wand and pointed it at Drake’s chest.

“I’m just trying to make friends and not make enemies,” Drake said calmly. Obviously he had thought about this and had planned his words carefully.

“You aren’t telling the truth,” Holt said.

“How do you know?” Drake asked, “how can you be so sure that I’m not telling the truth?”

“My mind does something when I hear a lie. It warns me someone is lying and right now it’s going haywire over you,” Holt said.

Astrid wondered if he was telling the truth.

“Now get out of our section,” Astrid said.

Instantly he was thrown out of the section. He landed just outside of the section borders.

“And don’t return,” Holt added.

“The idea he had was actually really good. I think I might use it,” Astrid said.

“What do you think he was doing?” Holt asked.

In the pit of her stomach she could feel he was trying to swindle food out of her.

“I think he was trying to swindle food out of us,” Astrid said but not meaning to.

“How do you know?” Holt asked really puzzled.

“I got this feeling in my stomach that it was the answerer,” Astrid said.

“Like how I can tell lie from truth?” he said.

“Sort of, I guess so,” Astrid said uncertain.

“They say that Iris could tell the deeper meaning to anything. Sometimes she passes that ability down to certain descendants. Its also in my case. Graven could tell truth from lies and now I can, too,” Holt said.

“So I have a magical ability. What are the other abilities that the others had?” Astrid asked eagerly.

“Seth claw, the beauty one, could hypnotize you. All you had to do was look into his violet eyes and you’d be under his control. Camilia Brown, the power one, couldn’t really do anything. Gertrude Harif, the love one, was liked by everyone, no one could resist liking her. David Gillisent, Strength, could do nothing. Some had powers and some didn’t but the ones who did could pass it on to their descendants. Me and you got the power,” Holt said.

Astrid was mesmerized. She could tell the deeper meaning of anything, if someone tried doing something she could tell why they did it.

“I’m going to sleep on this,” Astrid said as she walked off into an isle.

Before she slept she noticed the black powder on her and she knew it was time.

She laid down and encouraged the darkness of sleep.

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Holt was always mysterious to people. They didn’t like his Black hair or his black clothes. People especially didn’t like his black eyes that seemed to see past their faces, and sometimes he could.

He saw past peoples faces and could see deeper into their souls. He could tell if they were could people or not. Their body would be outlined in a color. He figured out that red meant good and the blacker it got the worse they were.

He had gotten a glimpse of Drake and could tell instantly he was a bad person but not the worst. He was outlined in a dark blue, almost a navy. He then had a nagging voice in his head that said ‘He’s lying. Don’t believe him.’ he had listened to the voice and it had turned out to be right.

He then remembered the stories about how Graven could tell lies from truth but he hadn’t heard of a person who could tell if a person was good or bad. He had told Astrid about it and she had showed the sign of knowing a deeper meaning. That was the sign of Iris.

He didn’t like it when Astrid left. She was the only one who doesn’t judge him because he had eyes that seemed to look past you.

She was always sweet to him. He knew that she had a crush on him but he didn’t want to disappoint her with his bad skills.

Letting her walk into the isle next to him was hard.

He wanted to go with her but it would have been awkward. He decided to do an inventory check when he remembered he didn’t have anything to write it down on. They did have a few dry erase boards but all the items wouldn’t fit.

He would have to make a trade with someone in the arts and craft section.

The I-Pad seemed light to him and it felt kind of bulky. He looked down at the map and notice each section was outlined in a color except for the arts and craft section.

The colors were all different.

He notice the blue and black outlined the food section. It must mean that whoever was in control of the section had their color there. But why wasn’t the arts and craft section outlined?

He decided that he would check it out.

He walked to the section and was careful not to step in the section.

He misplaced his footing and fell into the section; nothing happened.

Maybe no one owns the section, Holt thought.

The paper section was easy to find. Holt grabbed around twenty stacks of paper. He went to walk away when he remembered he might need something to write with.

He grabbed the pencils, a hand sharpener, and an electric sharpener. He also grabbed a big binder and a few one inch one’s.

Holt was back at the section before anyone could notice.

He unpackaged the pencils and sharpened the first few.

He took out the first package of papers and opened it. Holt loved the look of brand new paper. It seemed to calm him down.

He took out the big binder and placed the paper inside of it.

Now it was time for the hard part. He went to the first isle. He decided he would start with the canned food, since it would be the most valuable.

At the top of the paper he wrote canned food in a neat cursive.

It took an hour to go through the first isle but he was finally done with it. He had about three pages of just the first isle. He continued on until he was at fresh produce, which he wrote at the top of a page.

This was where Astrid was sleeping. It was one of the last isles in the food section.

He saw her on the ground sleeping soundly. At that time she looked normal but in her head she wasn’t.

It felt like it had taken days but in reality it had taken a few hours to complete the task.

After he was done he decided to take a nap.

He didn’t have any dream, he never really did. Only blackness as deep as his eyes.

He awoke to a loud voice saying “you have been in here for exactly one day now, congratulations.”

Holt got up stiffly. He stretched out and walked to see if Astrid was awake. She had been sleeping for almost a day now.

She was still asleep on the floor. Looking down at her Holt noticed a black powder on her face.

He bent down to investigate more into it.

What could this be? He thought.

He smelled it and instantly felt drowsy. He snapped himself out of it and went to wash his hands with a water bottle.

The water wasn’t warm but it wasn’t cold. It was somewhere in the middle. It still felt good though. After he was completely sure the powder was gone he drank the rest of the water. It felt good going down. Holt felt as if he hadn’t drunken in days.

Walking back he had time to think about what the powder was.

It obviously made you sleepy if inhaled and with the amount on Astrid she could be in a coma. He picked up the speed and decided to slow down again because he didn’t know what he would do.

Was this a cheat in the official test? Is this even fair? Who did it? And why? These were just a few of the questions racing through his mind. He didn’t know what to do.

There were two other person in here that might be able to help him.

One of them he knew and the other didn’t seem to like him or Astrid.

Sam, the other cunning one, and Ruby, the other intelligent one.

They might know something that he didn’t, especially Sam since he might have more experience with the cunning stuff and he might know what it was that was on her.

Holt couldn’t even make a guess.

He checked his I-Pad and saw the blue outline around the food section and the household items section. Astrid had the foods so Ruby must have been in the household items.

He set out for his first stop.

Chapter 5










Astrid knew it was time for the test that the two gods had mentioned. She had completely forgotten about the test with al that had gone on. Her cloths were coated with the black powder when she had went to sleep. In her dreams she was back at the school. But instead of being on the blacktop she was in the cafeteria with Zeus and Ra.

“This is Athena,” Zeus said just as a pretty lady appeared. She looked fierce and beautiful at the same time.

“An this is Thoth,” Ra said as Thoth walked in. he had slicked back brown hair, almost as if he was trying to act cool. He seemed to be changing cloths in seconds.

“Thoth, Athena, and I will be fighting for the right to help you on your journey. Each of us have seen something in you that we like. The test will be quick and it will show which of us are most worthy,” Ra said.

“I value using your wit to gain more strength,” Athena said.

“I value perseverance,” Ra said formally.

“I value using your wit to gain more wit,” Thoth said.

“Are you ready to begin?” Ra asked.

“Yes I am,” Astrid said to the all powerful god.

She was transported away to a blacktop much like the one she had seen in her dream, which still haunted her. On the ground were two bags, one had an Egyptian Hieroglyphic on it and the other had a Greek Omega on it. She didn’t know which to take or if she was supposed to take both.

A voice in her head told her to take both and to move away from this area. A bad vibe was on the blacktop.

Astrid grabbed the bags and ran off to the East.

The blacktop seemed to go on forever and ever. It never ended no matter how far she ran.

She stopped attributably. The voice inside of her head had told her to. What was this voice? Who was it? It sounded so familiar. Then she though of it. She had heard the voice before. It was in the last place she had been in. one of the gods was trying to help her

Who are you, which god? she asked.

I am Thoth, god of wisdom, here to help you and see if you work better with me or Athena or Ra, Thoth said.

What do I do now? Astrid asked.

you must open the Egyptian bag, take out the chalk and draw a circle around yourself. Then you must take the four statues and place them at north, south, east, and west. This will give you protection against the threat, Thoth said.

What threat? she asked as she did what he said.

I am not permitted to tell you but now that you finished with the circle take out the staff and hold it and wait, he informed her.

She did as he told and just stood there feeling stupid.

After a few moments something showed up in the North horizon. It looked like a bunch of people moving towards her.

As they got closer she could tell it was a bunch of people. There looked to be around fifty.

She didn’t know what a piece of wood, and a circle would do to help her, but she trusted a god would help if she went down.

The “army” got closer and she got ready to battle with a piece of wood.

What will this wood do? she asked.

Think of what you want to appear or do and it will appear or happen. First lets practice. Don’t use the staff, hold up your hands and think of fire, the god said.

She did as he said and a small sputter of flame erupted on her hand. It quickly died away.

Astrid instantly felt tired.

Don’t think about what your doing just do it. Instead of using your own magic you will use mine, and I have unlimited but you will burn and die if you don’t save your power, the explanation was rushed but she decided to not think about what she was doing and to just let it flow.

The flame this time was huge. She quickly made it go away so she wouldn’t burn anything.

You have it now, Thoth said, all you have to do in shatter them and you will pass this test.

The army was closer now, but she had a better topic on her mind. What had he meant when he said ‘shatter’?

She didn’t have time to question because they were here now.

They all formed around her circle. She was glad the circle was big otherwise she would have been crushed.

One of the people stepped inside of the circle and instantly shattered.

That’s what Thoth had meant when he said shatter.

She knew what to do from here. She held up her hands and thought of running water and instantly a stream shot out of her hands.

A bunch of the people shattered.

There were still what felt like thousands around her and more kept coming out of thin air.

She stopped shooting water and changed to fire.

The people set each other on fire and soon every single one was shattered on the ground.

“You have completed this test,” Ra’s voice came from above.

She was transported away to a forest.

A new voice came from her head, a women this time. Hello Astrid I am Athena goddess of wisdom. I will help you channel your powers using Greek items. Now open the Greek bag and take out the golden bladed sword, unless you work better with another weapon.

I have never used a weapon, Astrid thought.

Well the best way to learn is through practice. Now start with the sword, Athena had a sweet voice that made you do whatever she wanted.

Astrid took out the sword and felt the necklace around her neck tingle.

Why is my necklace tingling? Astrid asked.

It is anticipating a fight but your witch powers will be no use to you in this fight. This is a fight against demons that can only be killed with a blade made from gold. Now be ready they are coming, Athena said.

Astrid held up the blade and wished she hadn’t chosen something so bulky. Instantly the sword shifted to two knives. She held them in her hands. These felt better to her.

A large demon without a face, just a blank piece of skin, jumped out in front of her.

She instinctively held up her hands when she remembered Athena’s warning, it wont work.

Instead she held up the two knives. The demon came closer and she slashed it’s face. It turned to a pile of gold dust.

She got away fast. She ran deeper into the forest. Something flashed in front of her. It was the cougar she had originally vaporized the first time she learned of the gods. Her stomach did a back flip. The cougar was missing all of this flesh and the meat could only be seen.

The cougar pounced and Astrid waited with her knife up for the impact. But instead the cougar pounced over her head and onto a demon that was behind her.

The cougar seemed to be on her side.

That was good, but how was he turning them to dust if you need gold. She looked down at his claws and saw that they were, in fact, gold.

She ran deeper into the woods when the demons surrounded her.

Holding up her knives was hard since her hands were shaking so bad, but she managed it.

The cougar joined her in the center of the circle. He circled around her instinctively.

He was trying to protect her even though she seared off his skin.

She threw her knife at the nearest demon. As it hit him it curved around and hit the whole front row of demons before it came back to her.

Astrid was amazed at herself.

The cougar pounced digging its claws into the nearest demon banishing it to dust. As the demons surged around him he clawed at each one that got to close and they, too, turned to dust.

Now the demons surged around her. she slashed wildly. Cutting demons here and there, until all that was left was a pile of dust.

Soon there were only four demons left who went to run but the cougar dug his claws into their backs.

Each one was turned into gold dust.

Is that all? Astrid asked.

No, there is one more threat coming and it will be hard, Athena said before going silent.

Astrid could see the massive body in the distance.

It looked like a giant troll and when it got close enough she could see it was a troll.

She changed her knives into a bow and golden arrows.

She knew she would need more than three arrows so she conjured more with her magic.

Taking aim was easy even though Astrid had never even tried archery. She shot the first arrow and it hit the beast in the arm. He just pulled it out like a splinter. It did nothing to him. This time Astrid loaded her bow with four arrows. She let go and each one hit the troll. The first in his arm, the second in his upper arm, the third in his leg, and the fourth in his eye. The beast bellowed in rage.

Apparently the eye was the weak spot.

She changed on of her arrows into a spear, which she threw straight into its eye.

The troll’s hand started to turn to golden dust. She knew what she had to do now.

She made the arrows into spears and the bow into the two knives. The spear went deep into the eye socket. His arms fell off into piles of dust.

She threw the rest of the spears and the troll fell, screaming, into a pile of dust. She couldn’t believe she had won that, this was incredible.

“You have proven yourself, now return to us,” Ra said as Astrid was whisked away from he knew friend, the cougar.

She was back at the school blacktop with the four gods.

“We wish to know which god would you like to help you in the wizard test?” Ra asked.

“I want Athena to help me, then,” Astrid said.

“Then so be it,” Ra said, “now I notice you have made a friend. Would you care to have him returned to his normal state and then re enter the testing with you?”

“I would love that,” Astrid said excited that she would get to keep the cougar for help.

The cougar showed up next to her with its skin back on. It was beautiful with the skin of. Astrid had never noticed the beauty of animals before now. She had always thought of them as disgusting creatures that did nothing but take up space. Now she saw the animal through new eyes. The cougar was radiant.

“The new way you see the animal is the way Athena sees the animal,” Ra informed, “Now go back to your testing and wake.”

She woke up into complete chaos.