Saving the Soul Stone - The Elementum Academy Book One

Maps and Riddles - Part Three

Celia P.O.V.
I was ecstatic to see Willow again, as much as it killed me to admit it, since it amused Cyrus. But the good thing was, he was as ecstatic as I was.
After breakfast, we told the others to discuss for a few minutes, and went upstairs to our hangout. We closed the door, and sat our beanbags in a circle. "Okay, we need to figure out what in the world is going on here."
"I need to know the full story," Willow said. "I got a brief explanation, but nothing full."
Cyrus took over here. "The Soul Stone is cracked, we're on a mission to find it and get it to Eleturgy so the Elementi can fix it, unless we can find the end to these maps some weird guy has that makes life a lot easier. It may also help us find the stone and the person who took it."
"Good enough. Why're you here, not that I'm complaining, though?" We repeated the most recent riddle to her, and she seemed deep in thought for a minute. "I guess we should go talk to the council, then."
I got up and walked over to my desk, pulling out a piece of paper. After quickly writing down a request to visit the council, I sent it out the window, and we went downstairs to wait.
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Around eleven, a letter flew back in through the open window. Willow took it, and Cy and I read over her shoulder. "Dear Cyrus and Celia, Thank you for your letter. We weren't expecting you back until winter break, but it appears you have an urgent matter on your hands. We will meet with you at high noon in the Elder's Council, and you may bring your friends with you as long as they understand how to act, and that they must comply with the dress code. Signed, Councilmen Jillus."
I looked up at Cyrus and Willow and smirked. "They have to comply with the dress code. They boys aren't going to be very happy."
The boys looked up at us. "Why?" Malachi asked suspiciously.
I could barely hold back my laughter. "You'll see."
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Fifty-five minutes later, all the rules had been explained, and everybody was dressed. Cyrus was wearing a golden suit with black pants and a black tie. I was wearing a long golden dress with black leggings. Willow was wearing a long blue dress that matched her eyes and hair. Malachi and Pierce were both wearing pink suits with pink pants and pink ties. Mia was a long, dark purple dress with orange leggings, and Eero was just wearing his normal clothes, but cleaned up a bit. All the clothes matched the colours of our elements.
Malachi and Pierce weren't happy. "How long until we can take these fucking outfits off? Because I'm setting a timer," Pierce asked, and we snickered.
"Two hours at max, but probably more around half an hour," Cyrus told him.
"Okay, let's get going then."
We all nodded, and I teleported us to the Elder's Council. In front of us was a long, curved table with twenty-six chairs, and in each chair was a person with a solid colour outfit, representing each element. The Elder's Council consisted of the oldest living person of each Elementi in the village, and all but our parents were really old.
Councilman Jillus, a tall woman with dark, long, curly brown hair, just a few shades lighter skin, and dark purples eyes, wearing an all dark purple outfit, stood up. "Mr. and Miss Blackburn, Miss Rivers, how nice to see you again. Esteemed guests, how nice to meet you. What is it that we can do to help you on this urgent mission today?"
Cyrus and I stepped forward, and Cyrus spoke first as Willow gave the council a brief mental explanation of our current position on not revealing ourselves. "We are following a string of riddles to find an easier way to fix the soul stone instead of going to Eleturgy, and it may also help us find the stone. Our last riddle led us here and said that the keys to our next clue would be in the robes of the Elder's Council leaders."
Councilman Jillus looked at our parents. "Elder Crimson, Elder Calian, what do you have in your robe pockets?"
They both stuck their hands in their robes pockets, and after a second, they froze. "No," my mother whispered. "That can't be."
"What is it?"
They pulled out two matching keys, and my dad looked at Councilmen Jillus. "The attic".
My eyes widened, and my breath hitched. Cyrus literally stumbled back half a step, though it was so minute that only I saw it, and Willow couldn't suppress her gasp. "The attic?" Willow asked. "Please tell me I heard that wrong."
Crimson shook her head. "I'm sorry children, but you didn't. Please keep your friends out, as I truthfully don't know how bad it is up there. It has been so many years since we've been past the door, that I don't even remember."
We told her we would, and they gave us the keys. When we got back home and everybody had changed back into their normal clothes, Eero drove straight into the topic. "What's in the attic?"
I gulped. "The old sacrifice sanctuary."
"What?!" Mia asked, stepping towards us. "Please repeat that so I know I'm not going insane."
"The old sacrifice sanctuary," Williw said.
"It got locked up when sacrificing stopped eight years ago, and nobody has gone near it since," Cyrus explained.
"Still think and hope I'm going crazy," Mia mumbled.
"You're not, so good thing you aren't going."

Hey guys! Thank you all for 150+ reads! What do you think of the council and their dress code? What do you think about the sacrifice sanctuary? What do you think they'll find in there? Tell me in the comments. See you soon!