Highfield Academy - Revenge of The Crows
Chapter 15

As Guayangarea, the powerful Witch gave the order to attack, the great Merlin played his hand, and the Fay Queen of the Hazel Sisters merged into view along with her army of thousands of magical warriors, Guatuagarea then realised the trap had been turned and that she was forced to sacrifice hundreds of her warriors, so she could rescue her apprentice and the animals which she had captured, and then, and only then did she free her Captain of the guards and the most powerful of his chosen warriors, while leaving the others to face whatever fate awaited them.

The battle was intense, and spells were approaching from almost every conceivable angle. Both Joshua and Kelton looked in shocked awe as Merlin encased them in a protective bubble, and both students could now understand the importance of Rang training.

As spell after spell struck at Merlin’s warriors, including the energy bubble surrounding them, Joshua noticed the bubble syphoned off the magic and fed it to Merlin, and then to his surprise some of the magical energy started passing into him and Kelton, and then directly into their wands.

Merlin laughed at their dismay, “I know it is your wands, the life within them draws the powers of all those used against them into itself and shares it with their caretaker, I have more than a few thousand years of such in reserve, so I shall not miss the portions allocated to you.”

Even as Merlin spoke both Joshua and Kelton could feel the power within them growing. Yet they felt helpless as the power coming from Guayangarea was of such force it scared them, and was now directed at freeing her apprentice and those in her charge.

Once Guayangarea secured what she wanted she withdrew over 90% of her army, and then vanished to into an alternate dimension, leaving a few thousand to fight Merlin’s army. It was far from enough, yet it gave Guayangarea the time she needed, and ensuring she could not be traced, and to know now, that way into the school would forever be guarded in the future, and no longer be open to her.

At exactly seven minutes after Guayangarea retreat, her remaining warriors surrender knowing they were over whelmed and stood no chance of living through such a battle. It had been a tactical rescue by Guayangarea, and carried out with incredible skill, and Merlin suspected, Guayangarea had carried out such an action as a means of testing his strength and seeing whom had sided with him, it was then that he also realised who was possibly behind the slavery of humans, and leading the Tebard.

The Crows remained high in the sky and observed all below, and then flew away as Merlin and the others retrieved their prisoners, and then, just before the last two Crows flew from sight they both saw Kulet-train the Fay warden warrior who they thought had been murdered speaking to Merlin and receiving instruction.

The avatar used by Kulet-train had fooled them this time, and Kulet-train expressed such to Merlin, but was also heard to have commented.

“But from the look of those Crows above us I believe that Witch will realise our trickery and that I am alive.”

Merlin nodded, “Yes I noticed the Crows but they are not what they appear to be, as I believe them to be magical constructs, and possibly created by Guayangarea, she always enjoyed practising Necromancy, and they I believe are vessels of her power and which give her pre-warning of what awaits her.”

As Merlin brought his students back to safety, he ensured the school’s defences were reinforced and that added security sentinels were set in place.

“Come with me,” exclaimed Merlin to the two students, as they excitedly tried to take in all that had happened.

Merlin led the students to Miss Catherine’s testing area for magical skills practice.

“Joshua, and Kelton, last week we tested your reflex action, you have since acquired your new wands and been fed additional power, you need to learn how to tap into this reservoir and control what you release, as it essential at all times to never lose that control.”

The two students looked at the Merlin wondering what he was about to teach them, then from out of nowhere a spell was flung towards them. Joshua sensed its casting and immediately reacted as Kelton also had withdrawn his wand, and both students appeared to vanish, and then they intercepted the spell causing it to rebound towards the caster.

Merlin raised his eyes at the speed of the two students and sat back to watch what transpired. It was incredible to see how the new wands guided each student and enabled them to work in harmony as each wand spoke to its sister.

The attacker remained unseen, yet as Joshua and Kelton looked around the room they quietly separated and observed all that was around and within. While a cat sat quietly on a chair unphased and apparently observing its surroundings.

Joshua wondered if the cat was Mr Claws in disguise, and remained alerted, but then from a darkened corner, another attack struck at both students and as they reacted, the cat lashed out at both Joshua and Kelton.

The second blast of spells from Mr Claws struck both students, only its power dissipated and was drawn into their wands, reacting in instinct both Kelton and Joshua sent a bolt of energy that impacted into Mr Claws forcing his image to change back into its natural form and Kelton then instantly sent an additional energy bolt towards the darkened corner, only it was deflected by Miss Tianna and struck Kelton firmly on the centre of his body.

Everything had happened so quickly, and as Kelton was thrown backwards the spell was defused and drawn into his wand.

“Enough” shouted Merlin, “Your skills are impressive, and I am certain Mr Claws was not expecting such strength, fortunately for us, although Mr Claws has considerable power and was able to escape harm, but even I was not expecting you to force a breaking of his disguise.”

Miss Tianna merged from the corner and her body was now sparkling in delight,

“You were correct Merlin Sir, their lessons will need updating” Merlin smiled,

“Yes, but ensure they learn the basics, as without those they will be left open to external influences.”

Mr Claws breathed in deeply, he had arranged for the surprise attack and had been confident that either he or Miss Tianna would deliver an undefended strike.

He caught the two-student’s attention as he merged into a huge Bengal Tiger, he tended to do this when annoyed.

“Merlin has authorised me to set periodic surprise tests, so be on your guard, you did well today, and for that I congratulate you, however,”

He paused ensuring he had the two-student’s full attention,

“This was only an opening test to observe your power levels, I know now what to expect and will set each new test accordingly,” he respectfully said.

As proud as he was with the student’s new skills, he wanted to instil fear and to keep the students alert, and enable them to sharpen their skills, which could only protect them in the future. And as the students returned to their dormitories they were both excited yet fearful of what awaited them in the future.

They both also realised that the Witch Guayangarea had seen them besides Merlin and observed the powerful spells cast in their direction dissipate and be absorbed, and this concerned then, knowing now that an enemy of such power had them in her sights.

As they entered the dormitory a shout of ‘Surprise’ made them step backwards, as a party had been set up to honour there been gifted the two wands and for their part in defending the school.

The lights out rule was broken that evening, but at the stroke of 23.45, Mr Claws appeared and told the students to start returning to their respective dormitories, and said lights out would be at exactly 00.30 hrs. As the last student left the communal room, Paula and her friends along with Joshua and Kelton were already tucked up in bed and asleep.

Mr Claws thought of springing a surprise attack but then smiled realising the students were still young and that there was time enough yet for such.

At 04.52 there was a scream as one of the students lifted Kelton’s wand to see what it was like, he genuinely had no intention of theft or of harming anyone, and the wand realised this, yet it knew it had to deter such actions, the student was sent backwards his clothing was burned and his hair stood erect and with smoke coming from his mouth.

Instantly the lights came on and as the students rubbed their eyes trying to awake Mr Claws stood before the student in the form of a Bengal Tiger, only this time he appeared some three metres to his shoulder and the sight of him was enough to instil fear into any potential victim.

As Stephen opened his eyes, he saw the beast before him, and fear gripped him,

“I only wanted to see what it was like, honest I was not going to steal it?” he cried out in panic, as Mr Claws transformed back into a Red Squirrel.

“Foolish child was you not warned not to touch the wands especially without permission.?” Stephen swallowed, “Yes sir but I have handled other wands without such reactions.” He replied.

By now Miss Tianna had arrived along with Miss Winslow, and they took the child to the infirmary for a check-up “Foolish child, the school wands are not alive, both Joshua’s and Kelton’s wands are living entities, how would you feel if a strange hand suddenly picked you up to see how you would react without your permission?”

Stephen apologised several times and although both Miss Tianna and Miss Winslow could see the child was largely unharmed they wanted the nurse to ensure he was not going to have long lasting injuries, well other than his pride.

It had been a strange reaction, yet for Kelton a necessary lesson, as the wand had warned him while he slept, yet Kelton had thought it a dream, now he knew that any future such warnings were to be taken seriously and acted upon.

However, incredibly Joshua’s wand Ethpadon had also tried to warn him having sensed the danger from his sister wand Ethpadmin. It had been a lesson all such high-end wands taught to their keepers, as it was to become a bonding of living essences, and one which both Joshua and Kelton had not yet realised could last thousands of years.