Chasing Shadows -- chapter two

Previously: 

Ara, our hard-headed protagonist, her brother Connor, and a strange classmate named Daniel were chosen to represent Moonbranch Academy in a strange Spiral quest called the Arcane Items. Because of their three, different fighting styles, their Headmistress proclaimed them "a perfect team." However discovering how to work like one is looking to be impossible.

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Chapter Two – starting point

One week went by fast. It was hard not telling my best friend, Angela Greene, about the Arcane Items quest thing (not that I even knew how to begin to describe it). By the time the week was over, Moonbranch Academy was buzzing with excitement about the upcoming no-questing month, which was when the Arcane Items quest would happen. The month in which I would have to find ten hidden items, and battle against other schools.

Other schools namely Ravenwood.

Myself - Ara Soulstone - my brother Connor, and, the last of us, Daniel Lionsheart, were chosen to participate in this quest. As soon as the week was over, were teleported to the Commons. So now we’re standing in the empty area, and three representative of Ravenwood, Dragonspyre Academy, Pigswick, and other schools that I’d never even heard of, stood facing the row of Headmasters and Headmistresses, who regarded us with glares.

The three from Ravenwood looked powerful in their exotic gear and scornful expressions. Their fingers played with glowing wands in the shapes of deadly looking swords, and large bags sat on the ground besides them.

“This is the Arcane Items Quest,” said Headmaster Merle Ambrose in a booming voice. “You will have thirty-one days, one month, to find ten items. Two items from each of the first five worlds.” A blank sheet of paper popped in front of us and hovered in midair. Once everyone grabbed theirs it lost it’s weightlessness. “One item will appear at a time, only when that item is found shall the next appear. A safe house as been set for each of you in each world. On the matter of where it is…Well…” He grinned mischievously. “Let’s just say it’s one more thing you have to find.”

Our Headmistress, Dame Senka-Cora, stepped forward. “The first item on your list will appear in one hour. Prepare yourselves until then, that’s when the quest starts.”

Suddenly all the teachers vanished in the crack like pop of teleportation. All of us, twenty-seven total, a sum of nine schools, were silent. We gazed around, observing our competition.

To me, everyone looked like fair competition, but Connor thought differently.

“We need to take out Ravenwood as soon as possible,” he whispered to Daniel and I. “That’ll make this deal a whole lot easier.”

“We? Weren’t you the one who said we shouldn’t work as a team?” I retorted.

“That was before I–”

“No, save the excuses. You said you could do it on your own, so on your own you shall do it.”

I turned, ready to leave, and practically run into one of the Ravenwood kids. All three of them had migrated over: two boys and a girl. All of them were practically a head taller than I was, so I had to crane my neck up with the front guy standing so close.

The front one had sandy blonde hair and was dressed in long robes of blue and yellow, signifying he was of the Myth School. The second boy was dressed in black and red, making it hard to tell whether he was a Necromancer or a Pyromancer (maybe both?), and had light brown hair. The girl had bright pink hair, glasses, a haughty expression, and dressed in red and orange. She was probably a Pyromancer.

“So you’re the batch of Moonbranch kids this year, huh?” said the blonde guy.

Connor came forward and pushed me aside. “Yeah. You got something to say about that?”

Blondie smirked devilishly. “Not at all. My comrades and I were merely wondering how… long you would last.”

“Longer than you will,” Connor retorted confidently.

The brown haired boy snickered. With a glare from his blonde-haired friend he fell silent.

“Enough said. We’re done here. Let’s go Ian, Evane.” They marched away. Connor was frowning fiercely, glaring at their backs.

I, too, was frustrated with them, though I was doing my best to hide it. Daniel seemed to be the only one with no emotion. Speaking of Daniel, I don’t think I’ve heard a single word from him since we had met…

I concentrated on the ground, thinking about what my plan would be. This would take place over the period of a month, so I would need food and a place to sleep. That meant while I looked for the first item, I should also keep an eye out for my safe house. The item might also affect where it’s hidden. If it were a book, the best place to look would be a library. If it were a magical item, the shops in the Shopping District would have the best chance. Then again, it could be a simple stone sunk to the bottom of a pond...

But staying alive was my first priority. Which meant avoiding the other participants, and finding food and shelter, even if that wasn’t the safe house.

After getting bored of thinking this over, I decided to observe my competition. Clearly Ravenwood would be the school to avoid. Pigswick students were cheaters, so I had to stay away from them as well. The other schools would be harder to gauge since I had never had any contact with them. It was always Ravenwood this and Ravenwood that.

Most of the others had taken seats on the soft grass and were looking over maps, books, items, or conversing with their team. My own team was scattered, Conner a ways to my left and Daniel a ways to my right. I sighed, corporation would be impossible. I took a seat and dug out a novel I had brought along, deciding to pass the time by reading. It wasn’t like I had anything better to do...

Deep into the story, I was more than surprised when a loud bell rang, signaling the start of the search. I quickly shoved the book back in my bag, and grabbed the paper that would have the list on it. Sure enough, the first item had appeared at the top:

1) A silver pocket watch with a diamond pattern

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:D I got a post up! This chapter was short. As a heads up, the chapters are organized by the world being searched in, so chapter 3 will be Ara's entire search and successful finding of the items in Wizard City. Same goes for Krokotopia, Marleybone, and Mooshu. Things get a little whacky in Dragonspyre, though ;)

Laterz!
~Emma