Highfield Academy - Revenge of The Crows
Chapter Six.

Incredibly the morning seemed to pass so quickly and the students enjoyed potions with Mr Hogeboom, he was a tall man looking like a walking broomstick as he was so thin. Yet his skills as a potion master were unmatched, and before the first lesson was over each student had brewed their very own potion, which could transform the appearance of anyone who so much as drank a single drop into the likeness of the school’s mascot a Red Squirrel. In addition, he taught then unofficially a puking potion’.

Josh grabbed the book closer and the instructions were scribbled out. Instead a piece of paper had been stuck in and it had the same symbol on it as the other potion they had made.

He had 15 minutes to make this quite simple potion. He grabbed the empty vial and poured in some mouldy tomato juice and some sweat from a sock. Joshua was trying not to be sick as he stirred the contents in the vile until it turned a pale red.

Then he added some gimlet droppings specially given by Kulet-Train and then stirred again. This time it went a funny shade of purple. Then he turned the page over and it said, ′ go to the closet next to the Magic cupboard where the potions are kept, then add a sprinkle of the contents in the bottle which says forbidden magic’.

He slowly crept over but he was caught, “What are you doing Josh?” asked Roger Hogeboom.

“I, I w- was looking for another v- vial sir” replied Josh trembling in fear.

“very well then, hurry up” replied the teacher.

Joshua quickly took the lid of the bottle and took a sprinkle of the powder. He then did the lid back up and left, remembering to grab the extra vial. He added the powder to the potion and it turned a shade of pale green and white. Then it started to bubble only it let out an atrocious stench.

Mr Hogeboom laughed, “I see I caught one of you, let this be a warning to you all, if you ever replace such pieces of paper, be certain you know of their authenticity, as they could be traps set by older students for a prank or a laugh at your expense, and poor Mr Philips here will be vomiting for hours until the potions wear’s off.”

On leaving the class they were excited, that was until they entered the games room where they were sat in a huge arena and there in the centre of the room, was a holographic program of a recorded Rang match which was awaiting to start.

“Students shouted Mr Claws, I want you to take serious attention of what you are about to view, and that includes you Joshua Philips if you feel sick or like you are dying, please do it quietly, as this lesson is important and it could save your lives and a lot of unnecessary pain.”

As the room went quiet the program took on a life of its own, almost as if there were real player standing before them, and the students were watching a live battle to the death. Twelve warriors surrounded a single person, it was the responsibility of the sole player to defend himself against those attacking him.

The student fought an incredible battle and almost won until an unseen Rang came from behind and fatally wounded him, as his body slumped to the ground his essence materialised into a Hare and he left the arena still alive.

The students looked in horror at what had just transpired before them, Mr Claws once more took control. “That was Simmonds Fletcher one of our most promising students, only he failed to apply all that he had been taught, and consequently he suffered. Now you are to watch another match and take care to observe all that you see, and if you are still with us Mr Philips, that includes you.”

At that the program seamlessly changed and there standing in front of the class was a younger version of Miss Catherine, only she was facing twelve opposing warriors, of which six carried fully developed Rang’s.

As the battle unfolded, Miss Catherine moved at an incredible speed taking down opponent after opponent, and somehow avoiding the deadly Rang’s as they flew passed her, and with some only a matter of inches away from removing her head; yet she survived. Incredibly twice Miss Catherine snatched Rang’s from the air and used them as weapons of her own, once one of the Rang’s came so close to stabbing her in the spine, but she swivelled and used a captured Rang to intercept and bring down another of the oncoming weapons.

Amazingly for thirty-two minutes the programmed played until the last of the attacking warriors was felled and forced out of the attack, Miss Catherine could have killed any of them had she pleased, but she was in total control always and never once lost her concentration.

“Flipping awesome” shouted Joshua and then he became embarrassed as he saw everyone turn to face him.

“Yes, child” replied Mr Claws, “That was truly awesome, an apt description of a true Fay warrior and Warden of the peace, which each of you who pass will one day be designated.”

Mr Claws watched as Joshua vomited yet again, “Miss Catherine went on to fight twelve warriors each armed with a set of Rang’s, and hopefully in time, and if you learn and do not become overconfident like Mr Simmonds Fletcher, then you may end up like Miss Catherine, and even better, but that is up to you, for today the lesson is over, just do not ever forget what you just saw, your future and life can depend on it.”

The class was dismissed, and the various students made their way to the library, only Kelton took Joshua to Merlin’s room and knocked on the door.

“Enter, you also master Kelton,” said Merlin.

So, both students entered the study and found themselves facing an old woman.

“We are to report to the Merlin Mam, could you please let him know we are here,” said Joshua and then was about to vomit, but found something had cleared the spell.

The old lady smiled and spoke.

“Sit over there will you, but before you do, take a close look at myself and this study, think about it and then after you have sat, you have three minutes to confer, and then I am to ask you a series of questions.”

Immediately both students thought this might be the test Joshua was warned about. After three minutes the old women pointed to Kelton,

“You boy, I have noticed you have amazing skills of observation, yet you remain silent, and allowing others to answer, why is that?”

Kelton bit into his lower lip tasting blood,

“My adopted parents taught me to be skilled in observing Sir, I mean Mam, sorry I still can’t believe the great Merlin is actually not a man.”

“Does that trouble you child?” inquired Merlin.

“No Mam,” he replied. “In fact, among the Fay the females are by far more powerful and wise than the males.”

Both Joshua and Kelton had realised the manifestation of Merlin was the only real thing in the room other than themselves and the chairs they were sitting on, everything else was an illusion, and Merlin could have made it much more convincing, however that was not the intention, it was a test of basic observation skills, combined with reasoning of the mind, and to that which the eye could see.

“Congratulations, Mr Armstrong are you interested in learning alongside young Joshua here?” enquired Merlin.

Kelton’s eyes widened at the thought of being taught by the great Merlin, but then he thought and asked the Merlin what they should call him.

“Excuse me please sir, umm Mam and please forgive my asking, but are you male or female?”

Merlin smiled and laughed,

“A good question and quite reasonable, to everyone else, I am the all-powerful Merlin a great male magician, and very few know of my identity, and when you leave this room you will no longer remember that I am not a male, it is a powerful deception that has caused many an opponent to underestimate an old woman when looking for a male magician.”

As stated, by the time the two students left the room they were convinced the great Merlin was truly a male, but were excited that both students had been chosen. The news quickly spread around the school and Mr Claws greeted the two students in their dormitory.

“I hear congratulations are in order, never has the great Merlin taken two students at one time, you bring honour to this school, for that I thank you, but be warned it will not be easy and you will be taught as was Miss Catherine, she was Merlin’s last student, do as well as she and you will live a very long life.”

At that, he transformed into a male teacher and handed the students an envelope each.

“In there the school has given you each a pass and an introductory letter to the great wand maker Fieldwaters at Martock in Somerset, they are renowned throughout the magical World and have even provided wands for the great Fay of old. There you can under Mr Fieldwaters tutorage, choose a wand which the school will pay for, but understand normal students receive off the shelf wands or those passed down from family to family, but few, and I mean very few ever can afford to own a handmade Fieldwater wand, even I when I was your age was denied such a gift.”

The two students were momentarily speechless at the gift and the honour given to them. “Make the most of this opportunity and do not make the same mistake of Mr Simmonds Fletcher and become overconfident, his mother was an incredibly powerful Fay warrior and she passed to him her father’s Fieldwater wand. Only he abused the gift and became over confident in his ability and trusting on the wand rather than in his true skills of a warrior, and it cost him his body, do not make the same mistake.”

At that Mr Claws turned back into a Red Squirrel and vacated the dormitory jumping through an open window and onto the branches of a distant oak, and then scurried down to the grass and ran to another building.