Trivium School of Arts

Flames erupted from Dexter’s hands like a flamethrower, jetting out over the ashy field in front of him and scorching the dozen target dummies that Professor Brurn had erected. She applauded as he cut off the fuel and opened his eyes to see the damage, he had half expected to kill at least a third of the class but to his surprise he had done rather well. Returning to the rest of the class he heard the familiar voice of Linx Guard muttering insults to his friends, he turned and was about to confront him when he was pulled back by an extremely smooth, pale skinned, blonde boy.

‘Dex, wait’ said Angel, eyeing Linx over Dexter’s shoulder, ‘you’ll have your chance with him, just not in class yeah, we can’t afford another detention’

Class was over so they packed up and began the long trek from the combat grounds back to the castle. It was winter and the fields were white with Christmas snow. Dexter never knew if it really was snowing or just another festive bit of magic lay out by the school groundskeepers. Either way he wasn’t in a very jolly mood lately, with Lynx’s ongoing battle to get him kicked out of school and exams fast approaching, Dexter’s life at the Trivium School of the Arts was growing more and more stressful.

As they arrived at the castle entrance the white blanket of snowy clouds morphed into a more sinister looking black storm. Thunder boomed through the grounds, making a few of the girls shriek in surprise and run to the safety of the castle.

‘What the bloody hells going on?’ said angel ‘A thunderstorm right now?’

Dexter looked around and noticed that they were almost alone in the courtyard now, everyone having run inside. ‘This doesn’t feel right Angel’ he said, sounding exhausted. Dexter felt empty, his head hanging down and his chest pounding; He had felt this way before. In the last year of school he had been attacked in the same courtyard by a sorcerer in black and red robes. He escaped death only with the help of a rogue magician who appeared out of thin air. Her sun blonde hair whipped around her as she battled their scarlet clad enemy, they moved so fast that Dexter could hardly keep his eyes on them. Then they had disappeared and he never saw either of them again. He had ended up in the hospital for a week after that with broken ribs, a broken arm and a busted up face. He never had the chance to thank his rescuer.

Now, he had the feeling again. His chest felt like it was ripping open, a hole inside opening up to swallow him. Looking around him the castle, the courtyard, even the sky had gone. He was standing in a black void. His chest suddenly stopped pounding and he lifted his head up to see a swirling red ball of fire in the distance. It floated closer before stopping a few feet away from him. It began to grow and pulsate, shooting embers in every direction. The wind rattled in Dexter’s ears, blowing his messy black hair around to whip at his face.

A masked face suddenly appeared in the middle of the fireball. Blonde hair flying out around her; He found it hard to stay grounded as the wind blew him backwards. He instantly recognized the woman as his rescuer a year before.

‘It’s you! You saved me!’ He bellowed though the wind.

The girl smiled and nodded. She held up her hand and Dexter’s hand mirrored her actions. She raised it to her face, as did Dexter. It was a strange feeling having somebody else control your body, like you were being pulled at by strings attached to your skin. The girl traced a line from her left eye down; when Dexter’s finger did the same he immediately screamed in pain. It felt as if a surgeon’s knife had just cut a nice straight line into his face.

Both their hands dropped, the girl was still smiling. ‘What’s happening? Who are you?’ he screamed through the wind.

The girl threw her head back and shook with laughter. A moment later she stopped and lowered her head, Dexter froze with fear. No longer was the person in front of him the girl who rescued him but the man who attacked him. His skin was pale, his eyes were blood red and he was smiling at Dexter with an evil grin.

‘You! Who are you!?’ Dexter shouted, the wind was more ferocious now; Pushing Dexter backwards and nearly knocking him off his feet. ‘What do you want from me!?’ he shuffled forwards, closer to the man.

He slowly reached the large fireball that housed his mysterious enemy. The man started laughing hysterically again as Dexter reached out his hand toward the fire.

‘I...am...’ He began, but then suddenly he raised his hands out towards Dexter and the wind rushed at him lifting him off his feet and flying backwards. The pain in his eye came storming back and he screamed and thrashed around as he fell.

‘Who are you!?’ he screamed.

‘Dex! Calm down’ he heard Angels voice. He opened his eyes and saw his friend over him. He stopped rolling about and looked around; he was in the hospital. ‘You’re ok. You collapsed in the courtyard again, just like last time; what happened?’

‘I, I... Angel, it was him again’ Dexter stammered. ‘I nearly found out who he is’.

‘What do you mean nearly found out?’ said angel.

‘He nearly told me, but then he pushed me out’ explained Dexter.

‘Right, well, next times don’t leave me behind yeah’ he smiled. ‘I’m a pretty good mage if you remember, I could’ve rooted you down to the ground and you wouldn’t have been pushed anywhere’

‘Sorry, I didn’t do it on purpose’ Dexter smiled, ‘but we have got to get back in there!’