The Shadow Morpher-Book 2

Chapter 38

So, sorry for the late update, or at least I think it's a late update compared to the other chapters which I've updated... anyway. I hope you like this chapter! :) Picture of Troy and Kayla on the side. I hope you like this chapter and I'm still dedicating them to my loyal readers so please identify yourselves! :D

Chapter 38

                Troy scowled. Arulan pushed open the door that led into the large black building. Still scowling, Troy followed him into the place.

                Inside, kids were training. A few dozen girls and boys shot silver arrows at targets. Some boys and girls threw daggers at the range and swung spears at the training dummies. Only a few boys and girls hacked at the dummies with swords.

                “Whoa,” Troy said, seeing all the equipment and the people using them.

              “These are some of our trainees,” Arulan said. “We train here. We have friendly tournaments every night. Magic against magic; weapons against weapons and so on. You will join the fights here too.”

                Troy blinked. “It’s like a military school!”

                “No, it isn’t,” Arulan said, smiling. “It is the Elemental Academy.”

                As Troy watched, one girl threw a dagger at the target so hard it shot right through the range and embedded itself in a pillar.

                “Whoa!” Troy repeated.

                “That’s Marina,” Arulan said. “She’s a Magician of Water and can breathe underwater.”

                Troy frowned. “She looks vaguely familiar.”

                Arulan shrugged. “I…”

                His voice tailed off as he became preoccupied with something else. Troy looked around. A boy was approaching them.

                “Hey, Arulan! A newbie?” he asked.

                “Yeah,” Arulan said. “Troy, meet Tristan, a Magician of Earth and a controller of diamonds.”

                 “Hi,” Troy said tentatively, for he didn’t really like the look of Tristan.

                Tristan had untidy red hair and, like many of the other trainees at the Elementary, he had huge muscles standing out in his arms. He word diamond armour over jeans and a T-shirt as well, that seemed like the uniform of the trainees. He carried a long spear in his hands and wore a smirk.

                “Want to train, newbie?” Tristan asked, flexing his muscles.

                “Uh…” Troy began.

                “Are you a coward, newbie?” Tristan demanded. “Chicken! Our new trainee is a chicken!”

              Tristan began to make chicken sounds. Arulan shook his head, but didn’t make any attempt to remonstrate Tristan; Troy didn’t know why. Everyone looked up to Arulan like he was the headmaster or something, but Troy had his own doubts about the man.

                Actually, Troy didn’t want help from Arulan. It was true. He was the new boy and he had to earn his own keep. Which, in the case of the trainees, it meant that he had to fight Tristan.