Arthur: When A Tree Falls

Chapter 2: The Eagle Fountain

Arthur didn't move. He was pleading for air, and he wished he knew how to get up again. But he didn't. The image of Calon still flickered in his head, and he cursed himself for not leaving a note at home. Home. It seemed far away right now. Arthur still had his eyes closed, when he felt a hand grab the hoodie of his yellow raincoat, and he was pulled out of the water. Still, Arthur couldn't move. However, warmth was filling him, and excited and nervous voices chimed around him. Was this what heaven was like?

"Watch it, Robin, if Ella sees you she'll make you rank down. He's a new one. You're not allowed to contact them." A voice said. It didn't make any sense to Arthur, but at least they were speaking English.

Another voice spoke, one closer to Arthur. "He isn't moving. You stupid kid, why didn't you just swim up? You could've died! Wait, is he even still alive? Where's Maddie when you need her!" It said. The voice was high pitched, and another voice joined. A soothing, but ice cold voice.

"Robin, Troy, what do you think you're doing?" The voice said. Arthur started to feel his feet, and it shot up to his brains. He tried to move his foot. It worked. Then he sat up, and opened his eyes. In front of him sat a scrawny boy that looked about a year older than Arthur, and next to him sat another boy, a taller one. Behind them stood a girl. She was wearing the same kind of clothes Calon wore, but along with some kind of cape. She had very long wavy red hair, and her blue eyes were stormier than any storm. She looked angry. "You know you're not allowed to talk to new ones until I give permission?" She said.

"Yes, Ella. We know. But he was stuck in the fountain and-" the scrawny blond one stopped in the middle of his sentence when he noticed Arthur was awake. Arthur looked around. He was sitting on a warm marble floor, and around him were wooden walls. In the middle of the room was a humongous fountain, resembling a bird, probably an eagle. It stood with its wings spread, head facing so as if it was staring upward, and from its mouth came a perfect stream of fountain water. Arthur followed the gaze of the eagle. The room went up endlessly, and strings with lanterns on it filled the room with light. On the sides of the wall - Arthur noticed it was sort of circular - stairs were carved in, and hundreds of teenagers and adults walked past them. No really young kids, though, which surprised Arthur. Arthur's gaze fell back to the girl that went by the name of Ella. She was looking at him.

"This is the centre tree of Silva. This is the place you train to fight yourself. It's the destiny for all of us." She said. Then she looked at Arthur's coat. "But you really need to change. There's no way you can walk here in... That." She said, and she snapped her fingers. A girl that looked slightly older than Arthur appeared in sight, bowed to Ella, and started measuring Arthur, who felt a little uncomfortable with that. The girl took her notes and left again, and Ella walked closer to Arthur. "I'm Ella. I'm the only Zaclin here, all the others didn't pass the test. It's rotten luck, but at least I am the great authority here. Robin is a Wulix, which means he's three ranks below me. And that, Troy, is a Vinchman. He's only a rank above the lowest one. You, are a so-called 'new one'. You don't have a rank yet. You need to go to Mr Qillian, he'll test you and give you a rank. But first, I want to know your name." she said, batting with her eyelashes. Arthur thought she was pretty, and she was very insistent.

"Arthur." he said, and the girl nodded.

She waved her bush of hair back. "I like that name. It sounds like you can win from yourself. Keep going, Arthur. Just, stay away from higher or lower ranks. It does no good. Robin, Troy, get away from him, he needs to find Mr Qillian on his own." she said, and the two boys obliged. "Oh, and if you really wish to be in the same rank for your... relationship... just ask Mr Qillian some time. He'll be content to make Uphlets of you. That's the lowest you can get, Arthur, it's the homeless for dreamers. Sadly, many people are unable to rank up. But still. Tata for now." With that, she vanished in a cloud of green fire just like Calon had. The first thing Arthur thought was if he'd learn that, the second thing was that the scrawny kid called Robin was still watching him.

Arthur decided to just ask him a question. "This guy, Calon, said that we're something called dreamers. What is that?" he asked, and Robin looked at his feet.

"Well." He said, "Dreamers are people like us. You know, the ones that come here. No one really knows why they're called dreamers."

"Why do you have fairy dust?" Arthur asked, and only then remembered Calon thinking of that as an insult.

Robin thought so, too. "We're not fairies. We're more like elves." he said, sounding genuinely offended.

Arthur immediately looked at Robin's ears. They were round. "But you don't have pointy ears..." he said, and Robin threw his hands in the air.

"Can people stop with that stereotype? Not all elves have pointy ears, it's only one type of elves! Dreamers aren't even really elves, we're more-"

"I get it." Arthur interrupted. "Sorry I offended you. I have to go and find that Mr Qillian now." he said, and he looked around. Just a large wooden wall with stairs, and a huge fountain in the middle. From behind Arthur, Robin sniggered.

"You do know Mr Qillian's office is up the stairs, right? There's a sign right there." he said, and Arthur saw it.

Wilfred Matthias Qillian's office

Arthur quickly thanked Robin, and started walking towards the stairs, which turned out to be much higher than he thought. He took a deep breath, and started walking, knowing there was a long way to go.

***

Arthur was panting when he reached the top. No one paid him any more attention when he was walking up the stairs, which he was actually content about. He found a large door that was made out of the same wood as the walls, which Arthur figured was because Ella had said they were in a tree. He raised his hand, and, hesitantly, knocked on the door three times. A gruff voice answered. "C'min!" Arthur pushed the door open - which was heavier than it looked - and found himself in a very small and very cosy room. At a desk in the middle sat a bald man with huge eyebrows, well, they were almost one eyebrow. His face was very chubby and he was focused on writing something. Then he looked up.

"Excuse me, sir. I'm-" Arthur started.

He was interrupted by Mr Qillian. "Arthur Redwood. I know you. I sent Calon to get you." He said. "How I know you, is because of your grandfather. He himself was a dreamer. A very impressive one. In my eyes, he chose the wrong path. But that isn't important right now. As for you..." He said, and he stood up. He was a round, short man. "Come." He said, and he rummaged in his pocket.

He took out the same blue glittering dust Calon had used, and Mr Qillian threw it in a rainbow shape at the wall. The wall glittered blue, and it disappeared. On the other side - where the wall had been - was some sort of training hall. Mr Qillian eyed Arthur.

"Take off the coat and the shoes. I'll contact Lara to come and send your new outfit." He walked back to his office while Arthur unbuttoned his coat. He took it off, and then took off his boots. Only then he noticed that there was a hole in his right sock, his big toe was poking out. Arthur waited a little longer while he looked around.

There was a wall with swords, an aiming block with bow and quiver, a huge mirror, one of those mats that they always used at PE, and there were some other things Arthur couldn't recognize. Mr Qillian returned with the girl that had measured Arthur. In her arms, she held a pile of clothes, which she handed to Arthur. He took it and waited for Mr Qillian and the girl, Lara, to leave, but they didn't.

"Well, Arthur, put them on. The cabin is over there." Mr Qillian said, pointing to a door on his right. Arthur entered it.

He then took a good look at the clothes. There was a green shirt with a brown gilet shirt made of animal skin like Calon wore but it seemed lighter, as if the skin has been patted more. The trousers were also the kind Calon wore but lighter, and Arthur got a belt and boots, made of something stronger. Arthur got undressed and pulled on the other clothes, after which he looked in the small mirror. His brown hair was a dirty, muddy mess. He left the changing room and walked back to Mr Qillian, who was now alone again.