Highfield Academy - Revenge of The Crows
Chapter 24.

Joshua died a million times in his mind, as he fought battles upon battles in training and trying to acquire the knowledge been gifted to him. It was the intent of the Angels to instil into him to use his mind and not rely on his wand, only it took time, and each battle fought drew him that much nearer to the Angels goals.

Only the battles might not be real is physical terms, yet to the mind of the student they were as much real as the air Joshua needed to breathe, and as such the pain was also real in every possible way.

Dying was no fun and when brought on by injury in battle, it made Joshua even more determined to not allow it to happen again, only he was young and such lessons took time, yet slowly but certainly, his mind and body started to adjust, and after a time it started to become like a second nature with mussel memory in what to do and in how to respond.

And although the lessons were intense and forceful, Joshua started to only draw on the wand at selected times, instead of using it as a means of dependency, and consequently he could fight off greater opponents at a time, even multiple ones who attacked without mercy.

Yes, the wand warned and guided him, yet it drew on the thousands of years of Merlin’s exploits and this increased Joshua’s skills and magical abilities as he mastered spell after spell, and, he took in all in which his Angelic teachers were showing him.

Soon they brought Joshua before Michael the Arch Angel and he gifted Joshua with two adult Dryads,

“Son you have done well, both Chamuel and Melatron inform me you have surpassed even their expectations, only these are to be dangerous times, and we can see a future where you will require additional help.”

Joshua listened but was taken aback that these Angels were warning him of a future time when even he would struggle to cope. Michael smiled realising his words had concerned the child.

“You are wise to be concerned, as even with these powers there are those living, who are more powerful, and who could cause you problems, it is for this reason I have been instructed to gift you with these two guards.”

Joshua looked at the stone like creatures on the floor and as they unfolded their limbs he realised they were spider like in appearance. Only they were not spiders and Merethpadon his wand explained at what was before him.

“Joshua these are Angelic creatures of the highest order and were created to be private guards, they will become not only your best of friends, but care for you in ways you can yet not imagine.”

The realisation of such a gift humbled Joshua.

“Thank you, Sir, I am lost for words as this, it is both unexpected and more than I can take in or deserve,” he replied.

Michael smiled. “You would not have been gifted such unless you needed them, as well as deserve such a gift which few in the realm of the Fay have such guardians, Merlin is but one, but I am not permitted to say whom else has these.”

This was more knowledge than Michael had intended giving, but he realised the child needed to know this and took it on his digression to inform the child, knowing that he could be trusted and was a worthy subject.

As Joshua was returned to Highfield Academy his memories of visiting the Angelic realm had been temporary wiped from his mind. As far as he was aware he had simply gone with Merlin to Axis-Mundi and, and what, his mind could not grip that which had passed.

The training he had received remained but buried at a level that was not for now accessible, yet their if needed to be drawn upon, but he was aware of his two-new strange looking gifts.

On learning that Kelton was no longer in the school, and that after talking with Merlin he had explained Kelton had accepted an apprenticeship with a warrior magician, but no more than that.

For now, such knowledge was restricted in case word reached Shellback and she tried to intervene. Soon Joshua got down to his studies but found he was spending increased times under Merlin’s tutorage, this pleased him and in time he settled along with his friends into this new level of training.

It was on one such night when one of the Dryads materialised on Joshua’s bed awaking him, as he looked wide eyes the Dryad gave birth to hundreds of tiny spider-like creatures, and they swarmed over Joshua acquainting themselves with him.

It took considerable control for Joshua to remain calm as the mother Dryad then called her children to her side and they then climbed on her back and blended into her skin, all bar three siblings’, which remained attached to Joshua and crawled up to his hair attaching themselves and then blending so no other could see it.

It was Merethpadon his wand who informed Joshua what had just happened. “Joshua the mother has gifted you with three of her siblings, they will always remain a part of you, and can warn their parents of any immediate danger, they cannot be seen by others and will not detach themselves unless you will it, but otherwise they will remain bounded to your mind at all times.”

Joshua’s immediate reaction was one of fear in having what his mind momentarily regarded as a parasitic life form attached to him, but after some seconds he realised in part from knowledge released by his wand that it was a gift and not to be feared, and one which could act as eyes to see what was behind him and of approaching dangers. This pleased him and after a time he grew to accept the benefits of such a symbiotic relationship.

Even Mr Claws was not aware of these angelic gifts, and on the night, he sprung a surprised attack on Joshua, the child’s reactions were incredible, and for a time a fierce battle ranged as Mr Claws and Miss Catherine fought to bring under control the barrage of spells and counter attacks been direct at them.

It was only when Joshua realised it was a test that he passed on this information to the Dryads he carried, and they in turn informed their parents.

As it was they were aware it was a test, but had deliberately not informed their siblings or warned Joshua as he needed to acquaint himself with these new gifts and bring his mind into action.

The battle lasted an amazing eleven minutes and counter spell after counter spells were set into motion with Joshua defending himself and those in his dormitory. It was Merlin who brought it to an end freezing time to give each individual time to avoid having to counterstrike just to stay alive.

Both Miss Catherine and Mr Claws were duly impressed, as were the students who Joshua had defended, and some had themselves fought along Joshua’s side, it was a brave response and reaction, yet they were starting to become a team united in one goal.

And this was what the teachers were preparing the students for, to work instinctively with one mind, yet be independent in their reactions knowing instinctively what their colleagues would do.

Only the students had missed Kelton, and it had taken them some time to adjust to his not been by Joshua’s side, they had bounded and had become a team, and the fellow students had grown complacent in the knowledge that these two students would guide and protect them.

Only now Kelton was no longer there, and it had forced new bonds of alliance, and which had in turn created new opportunities of friendship and of helping to develop the student’s minds.

Paula had teamed with Rose Felton and Jenny Winston Harris, and relying on Jisalder to back them up as she was incredibly gifted at Rang and potions. Tim on the other hand had partnered with Joshua, along with Samuels and Stephen, and incredibly under Joshua’s guidance they had become a close-nit-team who were starting to understand each other’s thoughts and in how they would respond in certain situations, but when united with the girls they were almost unstoppable.

Miss Catherine had seen this uniting of minds and had maneuvered the students to start practicing as a team when it came to Rang matches and competitions. The only other students who were anywhere near as good as the young second year team, were fifth year students, and who had vastly more experience, and coveted the honour of recognitions in supremacy of Rang.

If their rivalry remained friendly the school encouraged the competition, and when they could they placed the second-year students against the vastly more experienced fifth years, as sixth-year were classed as adults.

It was incredibly reasonably balanced and this in part with the fifth years’ experience won them four out of every five matches. But when the second-year students united collectively as a team, they started increasing their wins to thee out of five and then to four out of every five, and the Fifth-year students became jealous and concerned.

One student named Lansopale decided to fix the match and devised a spell to get his teams Rang’s to outplay the opponents. Only unbeknown to him the Dryads had them under observation.

And dozens of what appeared to be tiny spiders quietly hid in the shadows in the 5th year dormitory, while others attached themselves to the fifth year Rang team blending in with the background and constantly been on the alert for any deception or intent of harm towards Joshua.

On learning of Lansopale’s plan Joshua devised counter measures of his own, and reinforced the protection fields in which he surrounded his team. It was one thing to be able to think quickly while in battle, but to be pre-informed of intelligence of your enemies intended actions, gave time for counter measures and planning.

Although vastly discouraged and illegal Lansopale had vested much in the upcoming match and had laid a wager with Sixth year students offering his father’s wand in security that his team would humiliate the second-year students.

The bet was accepted as the second-year-students had shown a vast improvement in their play and started winning four out of every five matches they played.

Only the dryads informed Merethpadon who in turn informed Merlin, he smiled realising the folly of such actions but decided to allow the match to still take place, only informing Mr Claws, Miss Tianna and Miss Catherine of what was to take place.

Without question the teachers were angered by the stupidity of such behaviour and had thought Lansopale would have behaved better, as until then he had shown wisdom and had been a good student. Also, the teachers were disappointed and annoyed that certain Sixth year students had accepted the wager.

It was Miss Tianna who suspected that there was just a possibility that external forces were at play and that the 5th year student Lansopale had somehow become compromised. On sharing this fear with Merlin, he considered the evidence and took preparations to protect the students and the school, but did so quietly without alerting or giving fellow students reason for concern.

At the time of the match there was much speculation and excitement as the 5th year students were a recognised team and in the past, had won many honours, however, the second-year team under Joshua’s guidance had learnt much and today they were playing simulated war.

This involved the entire team of defenders totalling seven in number, but having only five players at any one time in the ring of play, with two in reserve and acting as spotters, while the attacking team had as much as twenty-four players to use as they saw fit, and could either field all at one time or simply match the number of opponents to ensure even odds.

Only in simulated war commonly known as Full Battle Rang, each opponent carried three of the larger Rang’s, and although not sharpened with a razor steel edge they were vastly larger than what First years’ students trained with, and as second-year-students they also no longer had the luxury of padded armour to defend and protect them.

As such they were open to serious injury, and it was this which had angered the teachers as Lansopale should have realised the danger of his actions.