Highfield Academy - Revenge of The Crows
Chapter Twelve.

The students at Highfield Academy were now wondering what was happening to Joshua and Kelton, also news had spread that the school’s hospital was placed on high alert, and on emergency standby. As previous students who had faced these tests had all required emergency treatment, and when it was learnt that the two students were to face not one Behemoth, but two, their collective fear grew for their friends.

Jillian and Paula had been in the library reading about the magical creatures, and had found a book underlying the levels of tests, after level three they were in fear for their friend’s lives, and by level four they had been certain both Joshua and Kelton were going to fail.

It was only on the return of Miss Tianna the librarian, that the two girls learnt both students had survived level four and were about to face level five. It was then Miss Tianna protested to Merlin as he had appeared in the library to speak with Miss Tianna.

Miss Tianna immediately started complaining it was unheard of and unjust that her favourite students should face two such Behemoths. Word had quickly spread throughout the school, yet Merlin felt confident that even though he fully expected the students to be almost fatally injured in the upcoming battle, he was certain that they would not die.

Yes, it was highly likely one or even both would lose one or more limbs, but these could be regrown, although he understood that it was an extremely painful event, he also thought that it would have been a lesson well learnt.

And as ruthless as this sounded, Merlin was still confident in their collective ability to remain alive through the ordeal. Yet even Miss Tianna disagreed with the Merlin, and told him, just not in front of the students.

“Sir I must respectfully disagree, these are two remarkably talented students and they have shown amazing skills in adapting, yet to face just one adult Behemoth is a nightmare for an adult warrior, let alone a child,” she exclaimed,

Even seven other teachers arrived to express their deepest concerns for the two students, and after the delegation of protests had been noted, then Merlin was himself beginning to wonder if he had not grown old and had made a mistake.

It was only when Miss Catherine entered his office that Merlin feared that even he might have overestimated the student’s abilities. But Miss Catherine smiled and spoke her mind.

“I believe you are correct my old friend, never have I seen such promising students, and yes, I understand they face immense danger, and possibly they will be injured. Yet, I still believe you are correct in pushing them to the fullest of their abilities, as it is the only way they will gain the confidence to grow into the Overseer Warden’s that you intend them to be.”

Merlin breathed in deeply, and extending a hand of friendship to Miss Catherine, and then he slowly exhaled.

“I do hope so little miss, and I pray also that I have not made a dreadful mistake and overestimated their abilities.”

Looking at her watch Catherine realised even if Merlin changed his mind, it was now too late as the fifth session had begun over three minutes passed.

Every student and teacher were watching the clock with bated breath, and praying that both Joshua and Kelton would survive the challenge and not die, like some of the other students had in the past, or been seriously injured.

Paula cried, and had to be comforted by Jillian, who was herself deeply upset, yet remained strong for her friend. Other students shed tears as they realised it had now been over an hour since stage Five had started, and still no sign of the returning students. They collectively feared this meant they had been either seriously injured, or killed.

Meanwhile, as the day’s lesson started, both Joshua and Kelton were prepared but had also feared the next few hours, it was to be a test of all that they had been taught, and they just prayed that they had both paid enough attention, and had learnt all that they could.

As Miss Tianna had left them, Kulet-train gave them one more hour to prepare themselves, as he also knew to face two such beasts as the Behemoths, was something grown warriors feared.

On the exact strike of the hour, both Joshua and Kelton found themselves back in the arena, and there before the students was a third Behemoth battling one of the lesser beasts. Its strength, speed and sheer power could be felt all around them, and the mighty beast trying to pass through the Behemoth’s territory was killed, and then in part consumed, bringing a second Behemoth out to feast on the dead remains.

That incredible piece of fortuities’ fortune had given Joshua time to implement their plan, and instantly both students vanished and rolled in a huge puddle of Behemoth urine masking their scent. Then they conferred knowing that for now, their arrival had gone unnoticed and that if the Behemoth’s urine remained on their bodies and soaked into their clothing then they could remain in part undetected.

They agreed to attack the strongest looking Behemoth first, hoping that a fast-lucky strike would give them the advantage, and possibly of fatally wounding the creature. Between them, they drew on Merlin’s power, and drawing all they could into them for one vital strike, and then they collectively struck at the Behemoths head, blinding it and knocking it unconscious.

As the huge beast toppled over the lesser Behemoth was startled, and withdrew fearing something mighty and more powerful had overcome its companion, all it could smell was other Behemoths, and it knew not from where they were or from where the attack came.

Moments later and concussed the more powerful Behemoth awoke confused, and trying to understand what had happened.

As the lessor, Behemoth’s sensed movement behind it, and in fear of been harmed, it turned spitting pure white hot fire in defence of its life, only there were no intruders to be seen, and the fire was directly heading towards the other Behemoths face.

This, in turn, provoked a response, and the other Behemoth let loose an even more powerful gust of White hot fire, which almost fatally injury its companion. It was then both creatures realised they had been duped, but by then it was too late, and Joshua and Kelton had successfully crossed the open space between the arena and reached the other side.

Kulet-train was stunned and for a time just starred, as both students were immediately returned, they had not only defeated the two Behemoths, they had done so without fatal injury to themselves or the Behemoths.

After giving them time to recover from their injuries, and as their teacher replayed the events to his two students, they were overjoyed to have passed the tests, and Kulet-train later returned the students to Merlin’s office grinning at his actions.

Merlin looked stunned at the safe arrival, but instantly held a hand to his nose.

“Very clever I must say, Kulet-train here has informed me of your outstanding success, but I am sorry to say the Behemoths urine you covered yourself in, is the most pungent scent in the known dimensions, and only the bravest of students will come near you until that scent leaves you.”

Joshua and Kelton were elated until once away from the danger and back in Merlin’s office and he had retrieved his magical devices, did they realise just how dreadful and strong the smell was.

“Will the scent disperse quickly sir,” enquired Kelton. “If you remove and burn your clothing that will help, but as for the urine that has merged into your skin that could take several weeks,” responded Merlin while laughing.

“I must say however congratulations, now please report to the infirmary for a check-up and have those clothes destroyed.”

As the two students materialised in the infirmary, three nurses were wearing face masks, and ready to undress the students and bath them, “Ok boys strip,” said the head nurse, and as the boys undressed, their clothing was retrieved and placed inside the incinerator.

Such was the power of the scent that students in the school started coughing and holding their noses, yet on learning the dreadful smell was coming from Joshua and Kelton and that they had survived unharmed, they were excited and wanting to celebrate, but not get too close to their heroes.

After five showers and three full bodied scrubbing by the nurses, the two students thought it might have been wiser to have allowed the Behemoths to injure them, yet their pride in having survived unharmed, overcame the loathing of the stink, and which somehow although now more bearable, still clung to them like a hundred putrid skunks had walked over them scenting them as they passed.

That night, and for the next five weeks the two students were kept separate from the others and taught their lessons in private, and forced to sleep in a private wing until the scent had left them. But by the time they returned to active lessons they discovered they were heroes and that an award awaited them, along with their photos and names in the hall of fame.

It was good to once again be with their friends, and the next time they were due to visit Miss Winslow, they were pleased that their lessons were taught in the safety of school grounds, and that the experience fighting the magical creatures had vastly improved their reflexes, and ability in sensing an approaching Rang.

Soon, Joshua was skilled for his level and age, but Kelton was at least two years ahead of him in his training and his game play of Rang had shown it. Inevitably, Miss Winslow, had Kelton attacking Joshua and pushing the two students to the best of their abilities.

At first Joshua was injured some four out of every five games when Kelton played against him, but in time the injuries started to decrease, until they became matched at their skill levels, and later they were once more teamed together and started facing more senior players, although they were far from supreme, there were times they won, yet for their age it was incredible that they could even play at this level.

Merlin looked at Miss Winslow who was standing next to him amidst the crowd and watching the match.

“Catalina, you have taught your students well, especially these two young warriors, as I have not seen a display of such skill for a very long time, even among the Fay children who learnt these skills almost from birth.”

Catalina Winslow blushed and then gently touched Merlin’s hand,

“The credit needs to be shared, as you in part had great faith in their abilities, as I believe has Miss Catherine, Miss Tianna and Kulet-train played a role, but we must not forget also these two young warriors, they have formed a bond of friendship, even uniting at times their minds and trusting in each other’s ability to know the other’s intentions and too work as a team.”

Both Joshua and Kelton were playing Rang Doubles, and this involved an opposing team of twenty-four opponents attacking the two targets within a designated space, only in doubles each opponent had three practice Rang’s and this made it interesting, as an opponent could accidentally take out their own players by casting an ill judged Rang.

Also, once lost the Rang could not be retried, often if too many were thrown at once, and then with simple deflection spells the Rang’s would clash becoming damaged, or worst still deflected into another opponent. Although incredibly impressive to watch it was almost as equally dangerous for the opponents as for the targets.

Within minutes of the first attack, five Rang’s had taken out other opponents, and two Rang’s were lost from further use, this diminished some of the danger but both Kelton and Joshua had hoped to course greater disruption, then totally within the rules they separated and vanished from sight confusing their opponents and attacked taking out eight opponents, but this revealed their location and a barrage of Rang’s headed towards them.

However, pre-planning had taught them and they both dropped to the floor rolling away and causing further Rang’s to deflect or clash rendering them unplayable. Two which had been deflected took out opponents, but then something appeared from nowhere, and it was a fully armoured razor sharp Rang which had entered play, and then another and another.

It had been so fast and could have only been used by a full adult Fay who was familiar in all the skills of Rang. Joshua instinctively swivelled sensing danger as did Kelton as two of the Rang’s passed and then impacted into opponents killing them instantly, and as the third Rang flew, its course was not aimed at the two children but directed towards Merlin.

However, as unexpected as it was, Merlin intercepted it and brought it immediately out of play, and at the same time stopping time around him as he observed who had not only intruded and entered the school’s grounds, but had killed two students and attacked him.

It was then Merlin saw a tiny fracture in dimensional space, and as it had been caught sealing itself closed, only moments before the Merlin had stopped time.

Merlin knew to have been able to open a dimensional rift and cast such an attack took considerable skill, and ruled out a vast number of enemies, leaving only a very select group of skilled wizard warriors. Also, he had intercepted one of the Rang’s and it lay now in his control it would hold DNA, sadly the other two Rang’s had become contaminated from the unfortunate student’s blood spattered remains, but it was something to start with.

Immediately, the collective teachers were released from the spell and together they took to the defence of the school, and reinforcing it, and ensuring further attack could not take place. Catalina looked intensely at the fracture, “That should have been impossible we were sealed in a bubble of dimensional space, how did they even know where we were, let alone break through our defences?” she asked Merlin.