The Orphan Wars (Book One) (3 page)

Before another sentence could be spoken,
a loud chorus of boos came from the audience.

"
We don't care what you have to say Nemeth!" yelled one student.  "Just because you're at the top now doesn't mean that at least one of us isn't going to surpass you.  It's going to happen sooner than you think too.  Don't think that we're going to sit here and take your insults either."

"Yeah that's right!" yelled another student.  "Why should we sit here and listen to make fun of us? 
Just take your diploma, take your prize and get the hell off stage so we can all get out of here.  We want to enjoy the parties tonight!"

"Yeah exactly!" shouted another student.  "We also want to go on our vacation.  Don't ev
en think about trying to go on vacation with us!  If you do, it will be the biggest regret of your life!"

"
Adtonitus Fulgur!" shouted another student.

A small storm cloud started to form over the edge of the stage.  A small lightning bolt emerged from the cloud and headed towards Nemeth.  It narrowly missed him
and wound up striking and destroying a rather expensive painting of the goddess Dynia instead.  Nemeth glanced over at Professor Phantas looking for help.

"
Stop this madness right this instant!" yelled Professor Phantas.  "How extremely rude all of you are!  As if verbal threats weren't enough, one of you was idiotic enough to cast a spell with the intent to harm one of your fellow classmates!  You should know better than to cast offensive spells against other students inside The Great Hall of Athos.  That spell could have hit me as well.  Whoever cast it obviously doesn't know what he or she is doing and now one of our most precious paintings of the goddess Dynia has been destroyed.  You had all better pray that she does not find out about this otherwise we might lose her support!  Could you not comprehend that Nemeth was just joking around with you?  You are all just jealous because not only is he the best in this class, but he gets a rare reward for being that.  In fact, this reward is so rare that there are less than 50 known people on our entire planet of Tyraneus to have one!  Now, everyone be silent or you will all be punished severely regardless of your rank!  Oh and the first person to come up to me AFTER the graduation ceremony is done and tattle on the fool who cast that spell will receive a special gift from me.  But for now, BE SILENT for we have a special guest who will now present Nemeth with his reward."

A silence fell over the crowd.
  A tall, dark-skinned woman with long black hair made her way onto the stage.  It was the High Priestess Darunda, a master practitioner of healing and defense magic.  She occasionally came into the academy to help the professors.  Everyone seemed mesmerized by her presence and it was almost as if everyone had already forgotten the disruptive incident that just occurred.  The High Priestess Darunda slowly approached Nemeth.  It was now time for him to receive his Guardian Spirit.  Darunda wielded a large golden scepter with a crescent moon at the top.  She raised the scepter high into the air and began to speak in a foreign tongue.  Nemeth began to be surrounded by an intense green glow.  He began to levitate in the air and slowly rotate horizontally.  The higher he levitated, the brighter the glow became.  After about 25 seconds, Nemeth was gently lowered to the ground from a height of about 15 feet and the glow faded away.

"Most excellent
!" exclaimed Darunda.  "The spell is complete!  Nemeth, you now have a Guardian Spirit inside of you now.  If you are unfamiliar with Guardian Spirits, I would suggest that you take some time and research them.  For now, I will tell you some important things you need to know about them.  When you are in great enough danger, the Guardian Spirit will become fully activated and be revealed to you.  It is at that time that you should start building a healthy relationship with your Guardian Spirit.  Your Guardian Spirit will remain with you until the day that you die.  That is all you need to know for now."

"Thank you Dar
unda and thank you Professor Phantas!" exclaimed Nemeth.  "I have no doubt that this is the best gift I have ever received."

It was hard to debate that the main purpose of
Lord Dragomir's Academy was preparing the orphaned youth for battle.  Nemeth could handle himself well in battle and now with a Guardian Spirit he was more confident than ever that he could win a fight if he needed to.

"
Yes, thank you very much Darunda," said Professor Phantas.  "Your services to the academy are invaluable."

"You are quite welcome," replied Darunda.
  "It was my pleasure."

"
Congratulations once again class!" exclaimed Professor Phantas.  "Everyone here is free to go if they wish but please do not feel that you need to leave in a hurry."

The
previously silent crowd had now turned burst into cheers.  It looked as though every student hopped up from their seats simultaneously.  They were pushing and shoving each other trying to make their way out of the building.  A swarm of kids seemed to be jammed in the main entrance.

"What are you stupid kids doing?
" shouted Stelios.  "Everyone needs to leave here one at a time!"

"Are we dealing with three year olds here?" shouted Jaumet.  "Form a single file line now!"

Nemeth laughed at the stupidity of his classmates.  He decided that he was going to wait on stage until the rest of the students left.  He noticed a fat girl waddling her way over to Professor Phantas.  It was Denifar, a not so elite member of the Baskara Dormitory and The Underachievers.  She whispered something into Professor Phantas' ear.  She was about to turn around and walk around, but Professor Phantas gently held her at the elbow with one hand.

"I need you to stay here Denifar," said Professor Phantas.  "There's no reason to be afraid as long as you told the truth."

"Olmak, I need to speak with you now!" yelled Professor Phantas.  "Don't think about leaving!  Come over here right this instant!"

It would seem that Denifar was the first one to tattl
e on the person who cast the spell earlier that almost struck Nemeth.  Olmak slowly made his way over to Professor Phantas.  Professor Phantas gripped one of Olmak's wrists tightly with his spare hand.

"So you're the guilty one?" asked Professor Phantas angrily.
  "Denifar was brave enough to tell me that you were the one who cast the spell earlier.  What do you have to say in your defense?"

"I didn't cast the spell," said Olmak in a soft voice.  "She's just lying to you to get the gift you promised."

"I was sitting next to you," said Denifar angrily.  "I clearly heard you cast the spell.  Everyone knows you're jealous of Nemeth but you're too cowardly to face him and tell him what you think."

"Shut up you stupid girl!" exclaimed Olmak.  "I'm not jealous of N
emeth.  But in your case, everyone knows that you have a crush on him!  You'd do anything for him and that includes making up lies about me trying to use magic to hurt him!"

"Nemeth, come over here," said Professor Phantas.
  "You can help me settle this once and for all."

Nemeth stuffed his diploma into his pocket and
walked over to Professor Phantas, who was still holding both Denifar and Olmak.

"I'm going to let you play the judge here," said Professor Phantas. 
"It's only fair considering you were the one who could have been hurt.  Do you know who these two classmates of yours are Nemeth?"

"I think I've
met both of them before," replied Nemeth.  "But professor, can you please refresh my memory?  You know, perhaps give me some more details about the two of them."

"This girl here is named Denifar," said Professor Phantas.  "She claims
that this boy here named Olmak was the one who cast the spell at you.  Olmak denies having anything to do with it."

"Ah yes, I remember
both of them," replied Nemeth.  "Denifar has always been a nice person to me and to others.  As for Olmak, he has always been the vengeful type.  So since I get to play judge here, I'm going to have to side with Denifar.  Olmak is the guilty party in this case.  Do I get to choose his punishment as well?"

"Well normally I wouldn't allow
that," laughed Professor Phantas.  "But I will make an exception given the circumstances."

"So it's like a second reward then!" said
Nemeth joyfully.  "How about we setup a battle between Olmak and me at Orelic Coliseum?  I would love to embarrass him in front of a large audience by beating him senseless."

"I do like that idea," replied Professor Phantas.  "Personally, I think it would be too easy for you to defeat him though.  Any other ideas
on how you would like to punish him?"

"Actually I do have another idea!" said Nemeth with excitement.  "Send him to the Detention Center and don't let him out until our vacation is over with.  That will teach him a lesson he'll never forget!"

"Now you're using the full power of your brain," laughed Professor Phantas.  "I will have one of the other professors escort Olmak to the Detention Center right away."

"But really I didn't do anything!" cried Olmak.  "I demand a fair trial!"

"You just had your trial," said Professor Phantas.  "Besides, do you really think that I didn't know all along that it was you that cast that spell?  I'm the headmaster here.  I used my own magic to read your inner thoughts while you were standing here.  I clearly saw a vision of you casting the spell.  I just wanted to test your integrity."

"Alright, I admit it!" cried Olmak.  "I cast the spell!  How can anyone blame me?  Nemeth was supposed to give us an inspirationa
l speech but tried to joke around and insult the entire class.  Why isn't Nemeth being punished?"

"So you admit that you cast the spell?" laughed Professor Phantas.  "Then you'll be sent to the Detention Center right away.  You'll spend two weeks there."

"You were able to read my mind though!" cried Olmak.  "I had to admit it!  Won't you please be more lenient with your punishment since I admitted my guilt?"

"It's no surprise that you missed your target when casting that spell," replied Professor Phantas.  "Do you really think I read your mind?  Did you see me cast a spell on you?  I simply tricked you into admitting you were guilty.
  Now you will be going to the Detention Center.  I know that if you endure what awaits you there, you'll be forever changed.  Of course, I trust that you won't seek any type of revenge on Denifar, Nemeth or me for that matter.  Am I correct?"

"Yes professor," said Olmak
nervously.  "I promise I won't do anything bad like this again.  I deserve this punishment.  I won't go after you, Denifar or Nemeth."

"Professor Nomiki!" beckoned Professor Phantas.  "Please stop what you are doing and come over here.  I have an important task for you."

Professor Nomiki made her way over to Professor Phantas.

"Oh my, what is going on here?" questioned Professor
Nomiki.  "I was busy overseeing the cleanup of the feast.  I heard commotion coming from over here but I didn't want to be nosy and interrupt you."

"
The cleanup of the feast can wait," said Professor Phantas.  "I need you to take this trouble maker to the Detention Center right now.  He is not to be released for two weeks."

"Yes of course,"
replied Professor Nomiki.  "I'll take Nemeth to the Detention Center right now."

"No, no, no!" exclaimed Professor Phantas.
  "Nemeth is NOT the trouble maker.  Nemeth is the victim here.  Olmak is the one that needs to be taken to the Detention Center.  Go and complete this task right away Professor Nomiki."

Professor Phantas rele
ased his grip on Olmak's wrist and on Denifar's arm.  Professor Nomiki grabbed Olmak by his left hand.

"You heard Professor Phantas," said Professor Nomiki.  "You are to come with me to the Detention Center. 
Now, there is to be no more trouble from you on our way there.  Is that understood?"

"Yes ma'am," said Olmak softly.
  "I promise I won't cause any trouble on the way there."

Professor Nomiki started to guide Olmak towards the exit
which was noticeably less crowded than earlier.

"What's going to happen to Olmak?" asked Denifar.

"Well Denifar," replied Professor Phantas.  "I guess you haven't been sent there before.  There is only so much I can tell you without frightening you.  What I can tell you is that the easiest thing Olmak will be doing there is trying to reconstruct a perfect replica of the painting of Dynia he destroyed."

"So Nemeth, don't you have something to say to Denifar?" said Professor Phantas.

"Well of course," replied Nemeth.  "Thank you for telling us it was Olmak who cast that spell and tried to hurt me.  That was very courageous of you."

Denifar put her arms behind her back and tilted her head sideways.  She looked at Nemeth and started to blush.

"Hey Denifar, aren't you supposed to get a gift?" asked Nemeth.

"You will receive your gift Denifar," said Professor Phantas.  "I have yet to decide what to give you.  If you don't mind, I'll give it some thought today.  You should have your gift before leaving on vacation."