Charles king lonely hope part 1
Chapter 22

Weekends are over surprisingly quick, especially when you don’t want them to be. I found out that Mum and Dad have been taking on more dangerous missions because of this whole rebellion situation going on, and it’s hard not to take it personally because it looks like they are going out of their way to prove our family isn’t involved with the rebellion side of it and then to add on worse news I found out that both of them have signed on for a week-long mission and won’t tell anyone where it is, or what it involves. Madison was surprisingly quiet about the situation, and I replace that scary for some reason she normally has something to say about everything.

Monday ran like normal, woke up, got ready for school, had some food, and walked to the transmission centre with the family like normal and then Dad and Madison left to take her to her school.

“So where are you going, mum?” Lincoln asked.

“I can’t tell you, my love,” Mum said softly, she had a full all-black tracksuit, she says it’s because it’s comfy, but I have never seen her not wear one and not do someone some damage or show off some skill of hers. “Have a good day in school, it’s language wars for you Charles and I think yours is in one week Lincoln, something to look forward to” She gave us a hug and kiss and waved us off into the tunnel that leads to school. Most on-lookers now have seen Mum a few times so they don’t double take but it’s always funny when people who haven’t seen her before walk into other people to get a better look.

“Good morning” Said Mr Ridgewell, “Hope everyone had a good weekend and a productive guild week, but the fun doesn’t stop there there are no classes today, it’s language wars” Ridgewell threw his hands up for cheers, he got one. “Language wars in the side of year that is learning French, and the other is learning German, made up of four, forms classes. And here’s the fun part at the end of the week there is a massive capture the flag battle and to prepare for that each side has a special guest teacher and the assemble we are about to go to will reveal who they are, speaking of which”. Ridgewell checked his watch. “Let’s go down”.

“Wonder who it will be?” Charlotte asked Grace, as we were leaving the form room. The two have become close again after guild week but once again that is only while Wyatt and his crew aren’t around because if he is, Charlotte no longer knows or wants to be in Grace’s presence.

“I don’t know, wish I did,” Grace said, shrugging her shoulders. The other forms made their way along with us, Amy the girl with purple hair bounced in front of me,

“Oh, Charles” she said in a joyful tone, “we are gonna be on the same team” The rest of her form class didn’t seem so happy about it, or her talking to me.

“Let’s do our best” I replied, and offered my clenched fist for a fist bump, she didn’t give me a fist bump she took my hand and opened it up for a handshake and then interlocked our fingers and tried to walk away, I didn’t move, more out of shock she just decided to hold my hand, and then joking Kevin grabbed my other one and tried to skip forward, Amy laughed loudly and tried to skip away too, now I have no choice, I walked begrudgingly with them, I wasn’t going to skip not with two class for of students watching on. Grace flew across me and joined in with the skipping grabbing Kevin’s hand.

“They are fun,” Charlotte said, walking beside me, we walked down the stairs, and chatter broke out among the classes, Amy Kevin and Grace were skipping down the stairs after letting go of my hands, “I don’t think we are the skipping type”.

“I think I would fall down the stairs,” I said honestly. Charlotte laughed,

“Speak for yourself, my mother has taught me how to walk downstairs in heels”.

“OH MY GOD... same” I did my best impression of Charlotte and her friend’s posh accent.

“Shut up” she playing hit my arm. We got to the bottom of the stairs and walked towards the main door of the assembly hall.

“I guess you’re about to change,” I said to Charlotte,

“What?” Charlotte asked. But then we walked through the door and a voice yelled.

“CHARLOTTE!” it was one of her friends the long-faced one. Charlotte smiled and waved back and then the look of what understanding of what I said dawned on her. Her smile dropped and then she did in the seat next to me.

“sorry” she whispered, and then she dropped her crazy heavy bag on my foot, “Oh my god Sorry”.

“What is in there?” I asked, “And how strong are you?”

“ATTENTION!” Miss Simmons yelled standing atop of the stage at the front of the assembly, in one of her power suits. The doors at the back that I had not long walked through slammed shut. “I know everyone must be excited, so I will not keep you waiting in suspense, taking charge of the French side, is a powerful duo from the eternal Dragons guild” The back doors, behind me opened up and I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

“Please welcome, Isabella and Nicolas king!” my mum walked in, and instantly made eye contact with me and winked, dad walked in behind her I think mum had made him change he now had a suit on and waving wildly at the cheers from the French side of the year, that I have only just noticed where all on the right-hand side.

“Your mum is so pretty” Charlotte whispered to me, “did you know she was going to be here?”

“I had no idea,” I said honestly, I turned to my left and thought Kevin was there, but he was three seats down, looking as shocked as me. Mum and Dad walked onto the stage and shook hands with Simmons. And the room fell silent and the back door slammed shut once again.

“And taking charge of the German side from the Ravens honour guild, the ever-powerful, Bartholomew Walkerstone” I turned around and the doors flew open and in walked big Barty! Looked as swerve as ever. He smiled at waved as the loud German side of the year matched the noise of the French. Charlotte grabbed my hand and looked completely dumbfounded at what she was seeing, Big Barty stepped onto the stage and shook hands with Simmons and my parents, Barty stood in front of the Germans and my parents in front of the French.

“who’s excited to get started?” Simmons asked throwing her hands in the air, this was meant with a deafening roar. “Through the week the team leaders” she pointed to my parents and Barty. “Will be teaching you with the help of whomever they deem fit enough to bring in, and eventually leading into the all-important Capture the flag, shall we begin, Team French follow your captains” Mum and Dad jumped down from the stage and muttered from happy kids and shuffling of excited feet filled the air, mum and dad walked past and waved to me, Kevin and Grace individually, they were followed by the French side getting as close as they can to my parents, I looked for little Barty in the crowd but couldn’t see him, they all left.

“German side follow your captain” I got to my feet and waited for Barty to walk past, we made eye contact, and he nodded his head. Charlotte’s head spun around so fast I swore I heard it click.

“He just nodded at you,” she said in awe.

“yeah,” I said back casually. Charlotte’s mouth opened and closed, we all left and followed Big Barty outside and towards one of the sports buildings, side by side with Kevin, Grace, and Charlotte. Everyone on the German side is brimming with excitement. Outside of the sports building was Mr. Ridgewell and the other form teachers, and a sharply dressed man in a dark grey suit, hair shaved around the sides and a man bun, some of the girls girls got giggly over him,

“Look at the dog!” a girl in front yelled and suddenly a big black ran through the feet of those in front and jumped into my hands.

“Jackson!” I said and lifted him in the air! he looked so happy wagging his tail furiously,

“Oh, he is adorable!” Charlotte declared, and a few other girls came close and said something similar.

“He is my uncle’s dog” I looked around for Tommy and saw him on a bench with his legs crossed sipping a coffee, he had on his normal leather jacket, plain white t-shirt, and dark blue jeans. I walked over and Tommy stood up and walked closer, Jackson jumped from my hands and grew about 5 sizes up to my hip.

“I’ll explain later,” he said before grabbing me by my shoulders and ushering me towards big Barty, at the front of the sports building.

“Introductions will take place once everyone is dressed and outside” Big Barty said. “Your safety gear has already been set out for you, quicker you’re dressed and out, the quicker we can get started, in you go”. Barty’s friend with the man bun opened the door and everyone ran in and darted into the changing rooms. I have been in here enough times to feel comfortable and know where I like to sit. Kev and I headed for a normal seat, in the middle but on the edge of a bench, we were in and out like a flash and headed outside to Barty, Tommy and the others. It wasn’t long before everyone was outside and eager to get started.

“Hello children, my name is Bartholomew Walkerstone, and I will be the captain of this team, I have brought along with me, a guildmate of mine from Ravens honour. Jonah Greenbean is an Earth mage with a speciality in golems and to his side is Thomas King from the guild Eternal Dragon, he holds the record for the most guild quests completed in his guild, quite the accomplishment and his partner, Jackson the dog, his summons animals he got while attending this school, if you have questions regarding as I can see a few of you getting giddy, wait until we have a break as we have a lot to do, please break up into your elements please, fire, water, wind, and so on.”

I didn’t move, no point.

“Fellow lightning, electric whatever you call us mages” Kevin Yelled with his hand in the air “Our line is here, I can’t be bothered moving” he added to me, I think he was just being nice because he knew I was about to alone. After awkward shuffling and moving around everyone was finally sorted into their elements, fire, wind, and water had the most people in their lines. Grace and Charlotte disappeared to their lines and I’m by myself with only the lightening bunch next to me.

“Stay in your lines and follow me” Big Barty said, walking through the lines, into the middle of the field, followed by Jonah and Uncle Tommy. Barty waved for everyone to stop, and he gave Jonah a nod Jonah looked like he was done with sign language and slammed his hands on the floor. And small earth golems grew out from the ground. Dust and rubble fell from the golems, small beady black eyes, they looked like very small chunky men made of earth and dust rubble.

“From where you’re standing, break them, send them flying, think of them as your enemy, take turns with a spell each and break them.” Barty stepped back and gave a signal for us to start. I didn’t begin right away it’s only me, so I don’t have to rush, unlike the others.

“Blastball!”

“Blastball!”

“blastball”

Magical balls pepper the golems, dust and bits of mud falling off them. In the corner of my eye, I saw all of the form teachers leave and walk into the sports building, and I saw Jonah nudge Big Barty and point in my direction, Barty looked at me made eye contact nodded his head to my golem and then winked. Okay, I’ll do what Barty taught me. I got ready planted my feet and remembered what I thought, forceful magic, it’s like a push. I gathered the magic in my hand arm and threw my arm forward like a punch and magic shot out of my hand like an invisible force and blasted the golem in the face and its head crumbled to the floor. I could hear Kevin laughing at the back of the lightning line.

Jonah created a new head for my golem, and I had to break it a few more times, Barty told me to just do normal blastball spells after the third time I broke it. That was enough for me to stop, and we were paired up in duos and since I was by myself, Uncle Tommy offered to be paired up with me. The exercise was shield and blast, defend yourself from your opponent’s blast ball and they defend against yours, which would have been fun, but I had Uncle Tommy, who was flicking fire at me instead, I heard some of my classmates gasp when they see me barely block fire spells.

“Really?” I yelled at my uncle. But Tommy just laughed and continued to throw spells at me, I hadn’t even had my turn to attack yet, and I thought I was doing well until I heard a growl behind me, Jackson was creeping up from behind, I made a mistake of turning around, because I turned back and back to Tommy, and he was two inches from my face.

“Boo!” he shouted in my face. I fell backwards over Jackson landing awkwardly on the floor, “Come on get up, next time, you hear something behind you jump to the side or be quicker with your looks”. Tommy helped me to my feet.

“I’m normally with Lincoln, I don’t often fight alone,” I said honestly, Tommy nodded his head, like he was thinking.

“I know, I know, Nick has told me, ermm... you can perform the shield spell with one hand right?”

“yes”

“Do that and shoot spells with your other hand and push forwards sound good?” it was weird to get an impromptu lesson from Tommy in the middle of a field with blastballs flying from side to side and some peoples shield spells failing and them being hit in the face.

Tommy’s tip was helpful, and I managed to somewhat do it, Tommy doesn’t let up and I’m his nephew, so I’d think he would take it easier on me. The bell rang and it was time for an hour break we weren’t going to have it easy, I saw a few classmates hit the floor when the bell rang out, panting and holding the back of their heads. We shuffled into the changing rooms to get changed and make our way to the cafeteria, all I could think about was getting a drink—a cold drink something that would make me feel better. I slumped into my normal spot in the cafeteria, Kevin and Grace joined me, they looked exhausted too, and then it hit me I was going to have to stand up and get a drink.

“Awwwww look at these three three” I heard Dad’s voice, he was standing at the end of the table with my mum and Marvin, “I’ll grab some food and drinks”.

“I’ll help,” Marvin said. and the two of them left, mum sat down, I always forget who famous is because, wow! There is not one person who isn’t staring at her right now.

“How were your first lessons with your captain?” mum asked.

“I’m so tired” Kevin proclaimed to the world.

“I Can’t feel the palms of my hands,” Grace said, opening and closing her hands.

“Tommy is crazy Mum do you know that,” I said, and Mum laughed,

“I’m not crazy, you’re just weak,” Tommy said,

“he’s behind me isn’t he?” I asked, mum nodded her head with a big smile on her face. “He threw fire at me! Everyone else was getting blastballs but not me oh noooooo... my uncle and shapeshifting dog don’t fight fair” Jackson took that moment to become small and jumped to Grace’s lap and received a nice cuddle from her.

“Oh, it wasn’t that much fire,” Tommy said sarcastically.

“You threw fire at him?” Dad asked Tommy when he arrived. With 3 plates full of food and drinks floating with a hand made of fire underneath them holding them aloft. “that’s hilarious”.

“I’m your son,” I said.

“It will toughen you up” Dad said taking a seat.

“Couldn’t have told me you were coming?” Kevin asked his dad with some much sass; that I could have sworn he was his mother for a moment.

“where’s the fun in that?” Marvin replied with a massive smile, and he high-fived my dad.

“you two are kids,” Kevin said. Dad and Marvin are enjoying this too much.

“so, we have been told,” Dad said.

“I tell them all the time” Mum said, “I do hope you all had fun this is the easiest it gets” I have never grown a sinister smile and I have never been more scared in my life.