by E. G. Foley
Red screeched and reared up in full agreement.
Then Potts returned.
Jake seized a torch from the butler, stepped through the opening, and headed down into darkness.
CHAPTER 42
The Training Simulation
Week four of Lightrider training had finally arrived, but Dani and her classmates were still in suspense over what the promised surprise was going to be.
Everyone could tell that their two teachers had something up their sleeves, but, so far, Master Finnderool and mighty Ebrahim had kept their mixed group of budding Lightriders and Guardian apprentices in the dark.
Dani and her new pals were all abuzz, trying to guess, but no one had any real idea. Considering they were at a magic palace, it could be literally anything.
They tried to charm the information out of Tex, as well, since he was rather indulgent with “the young ’uns.” But the cowboy wasn’t talking.
Maybe the teachers had changed their minds, they debated, because Monday came and went, and it was business as usual. Tuesday was the same.
Ah, but then…then came Wednesday.
It seemed to start out like any other day: athletics in the morning, rush home, get clean, change clothes, morning classes, then lunch.
Lunch was followed by afternoon classes, and it was then, on Wednesday, when the group of sixteen future Lightriders and Guardians returned together from the dining hall, eager to see if the surprise would finally be unveiled, that they were startled to find that a third adult had joined their two usual instructors.
Sir Peter Quince was lounging in their classroom, waiting for them, along with Finnderool and Ebrahim.
The students exchanged eager glances and took their seats with newfound excitement. It was hard to anticipate what might happen next, but if Sir Peter was involved, then it was bound to be fun. And perhaps a little terrifying.
Finnderool welcomed the kids back and took attendance, then both the Lightrider and the master Guardian both gave way to the wizard.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” Sir Peter jumped up out of the chair and strolled over to the classroom door. “Follow me,” he said with a mysterious smile.
Then he marched out.
Everybody knew Sir Peter was a little unpredictable, so they looked at their teachers in confusion, making sure they had permission to leave the room.
Ebrahim chuckled, and Finnderool gestured elegantly toward the door. “I’d hurry if I were you.”
Dani shot up from of her seat and rushed to join the stampede out into the hallway. The teachers followed.
Well ahead of them down the corridor, Sir Peter was whistling cheerfully as he strode along, his black robes flowing. Everyone scrambled to catch up.
“Where are we going, sir?” Dani asked breathlessly.
“You’ll see, Miss O’Dell,” he answered in his breezy way. Then he pushed through a door to the outside and kept going.
Dani and her classmates followed him out to one of the flat green playing fields. It had woods on both sides.
Though it took her eyes a moment to adjust to the brilliant autumn sunshine, she noticed there was a large, brightly painted box of what she guessed was sporting equipment already waiting for them at the edge of the field.
Sir Peter ambled past the box and the thick, chalked boundary of the playing field, but Finnderool called, “That’s far enough, children! Give our wizard some space.”
The students stopped, but Sir Peter continued walking alone a few yards farther down the field.
There, he turned and looked expectantly at their two teachers.
Finnderool nodded to him, then looked at the kids. “Ladies and gentlemen, you have made excellent progress over the past three weeks. Now that week four has come, you’ve started to develop a good, basic grasp of all the sorts of things that Lightriders and Guardians need to know. You’ve realized by now that you must apply yourselves to your studies with discipline in order to gain knowledge. That it won’t be all just adventure.
“Of course, mastery will take you a lifetime of learning. But you’ve applied yourselves diligently, we’ve noticed. Therefore, you’ve earned…a little reward.”
Dani smiled; excitement rippled through the group.
“Today,” he continued, “you have earned the opportunity to try your hand at your first field training. If it’s adventure you want, it’s adventure you’ll get. At least for today. Then it’s back to the books.” He turned to the wizard. “Sir Peter, if you’ll do the honors.”
“With pleasure.” Sir Peter sent the wide-eyed class a conspiratorial smile, then lifted his wand and began to chant.
Before Dani’s eyes, currents of magic began shooting forward down the field and out to the sidelines, clear in color but distorted, like the shimmers off a hot roof in August. Here and there, it crackled like lightning carefully kept under masterful control.
It was just like when he changed the Field of Assessment in the maze to serve whatever purposes were needed to test the gifts of each magical child. He had conjured a dizzying obstacle course for Maddox, challenges involving the four elements for Nixie, and a miniature Stonehenge to test Jake’s telekinesis.
Now, in a way, it was Dani’s turn, but by the time Sir Peter was finished, she could see very little change in the playing field.
In fact, the only difference—at least for now—was the steady beam of white light that shone straight up at the sky from a spot on the ground at the far end of the field.
“What’s that?” someone asked, pointing at it.
“That, children, is your designated waypoint,” Finnderool said, nodding his thanks to the wizard. “The purpose of today’s simulation is to give you your first taste of what it’s really like, being out on a mission with a team.”
Dani gasped, as did the others.
“Pair up,” Finnderool ordered.
Excitement buzzed in the air as everyone found a partner. Dani ended up with Brian, a nice, dark-haired American boy with whom she often worked. He was easygoing and didn’t give her grief, like certain blond ex-pickpockets of her acquaintance.
The brief thought of Jake gave her a pang. Amiable as Brian was, she would’ve given anything to be doing this today with him.
After nodding to Brian, she turned and raised her hand. “Master Elf?”
“Yes, Miss O’Dell?”
“What about the third member of our team? According to the handbook, there are always a minimum of three on a mission, aren’t there?”
“Right you are, young lady.” His lips twitched as he bent to reach down into the box of sporting equipment, the afternoon sunlight glinting on his platinum hair.
The wood elf fished around inside the big, colorful crate for a moment, shoving aside rugby balls, cricket bats, and hockey sticks. “It’s here somewhere. I just saw it…”
Dani looked on, brow furrowed, as she heard the equipment clattering about inside the crate.
“Ah! Here she is.” When Finnderool finally straightened up, he blew a lock of long, pale hair out of his eyes, then showed them what he’d retrieved: a round cannister like a coffee tin or a can of paint. “Allow me to present your conductee for the mission.”
He pried off the lid, reached into the cannister, then held up a small pink pellet or gelatin capsule no bigger than an acorn.
Master Ebrahim flashed a knowing grin and folded his massive arms across his chest, glancing around at the kids.
“Watch this,” Finnderool said. Holding up his hand so they could all see, he pinched the pellet in between his finger and thumb until it popped, then he tossed it onto the ground.
There, the capsule began blowing up like a thick-skinned balloon, swelling into a life-sized doll or mannequin that was shaped like a giant bowling pin…and decorated to look like a she-elf in a fine lavender gown.
The doll had a painted-on face with big, blank eyes, pointy ears, long blond braids, and a crown. Rocking back and forth on its rounded base, it seemed weighted t
o remain upright.
Finnderool set his hand on its head to stop its wobble. “This,” he said, “is Princess Pansy. She will be your conductee for the mission.”
The kids couldn’t help chuckling. The training doll was the silliest thing Dani had ever seen.
“Don’t worry,” said the wood elf, “I keep a large supply of Pansy pellets on hand. As many as might be needed. For, as many of you will soon discover, they tend to get destroyed. That’s the day’s challenge. Keep Her Highness alive for the duration of today’s mission.
“She’s your official VIP—why, she’s elvish royalty. For all I know, we could be related.”
Sir Peter laughed at his jest.
“Lightriders, it’s your job to get Princess Pansy to the waypoint.” He jabbed a finger down the field at Sir Peter’s column of light. “Guardians, take note. There will be challenges along the way that might try to stop you from reaching it.”
“Just like on a real mission,” Sir Peter said.
Finnderool nodded. “Once you arrive at the waypoint, the Lightriders will use the Bud of Life to open a portal. You will each be given a different set of coordinates that you must memorize while waiting for your turn. No writing down the numbers. You must do this from memory, just like in the real world.
“Once you’ve got the portal open, you will then escort Her Highness through safely to the other side. Remember, Lightriders, as team leader, you are ultimately responsible for the dear lady, so do try and keep her all in one piece.
“Guardians: as always, it falls to you to protect your Lightrider and the diplomat. No matter what sort of obstacles you might unexpectedly encounter.”
He folded his hands behind his back and strolled past the row of pupils. “Now then, children, since your first time in the simulation is a very big occasion, those of you who complete the trial successfully will find yourself transported to the dining hall, where the gnomes have prepared an ice cream party for you.”
A chorus of eager gasps filled the air.
“However,” the wood elf continued, holding up a finger with a gleam of mischief in his pale eyes, “if you should fail, you will land in, shall we say, a less pleasant situation. Good luck.” Then he glanced around at them. “Very well. Who wants to go first?”
Nobody spoke.
Dani thought of Jake. He would’ve already elbowed his way to the front of the line, no doubt. But she and Brian exchanged a look that agreed, Not us.
“What, nobody likes ice cream?” Finnderool taunted.
Ebrahim unleashed one of his loud, jolly laughs. It broke the tension.
Everyone was nervous. Nobody wanted to go first and serve as the lab rats. But, fortunately, both the Lightrider and Guardian programs attracted adventurous kids, so it wasn’t long before Finnderool had three pairs of volunteers willing to go first, second, and third.
Dani and Brian agreed to go fourth.
It was better than going last. Having to wait until the end would be nerve-racking. But with three teams ahead of them, they could watch the simulation unfold and hopefully get a better sense of what to expect and how to do this.
“Very well, let’s get started,” said the wood elf.
Master Ebrahim began handing out quarterstaffs to his Guardians, as usual. Simple training weapons, the thick wooden rods were about four feet long.
Meanwhile, Finnderool passed around small slips of paper to his Lightriders, with instructions not to let anyone else steal a peek at their coordinates.
Dani unfolded hers and saw six two-digit numbers with two corresponding cardinal directions.
“These coordinates are for testing purposes only,” the wood elf said. “You will memorize your numbers and hand the paper back to me when it’s your turn. You can’t take it with you. All right, everyone ready? Who’s first?”
Two girls stepped forward.
The Lightrider-in-training was Chloe, a cat shapeshifter, the other redhead in their class, though she was more of a strawberry blonde. Chloe was clever and quick, with stripy, red-tabby-colored hair. Unfortunately, the poor girl had barely had two minutes to memorize her numbers.
The Guardian girl paired with Chloe was a tall, determined centaur named Stasia, short for Anastasia. Her hair was wheat-blond (in a ponytail, of course); her horse parts palomino. She was most famous as a star hockey player; when centaurs played that game, it was something closer to polo, and very competitive.
In any case, Dani had come to suspect that Stasia had a crush on Maddox, for she always managed to trot over to say hello when they were sitting together with Nixie at supper in the dining hall.
Watching the two girls go up to the teachers, awaiting any further instructions, Dani wondered if Stasia’s horse-tall height and Chloe’s catlike reflexes would prove an advantage in their quest.
That remained to be seen.
Since the teachers were still conferring quietly with Sir Peter, Chloe prowled back and forth, scanning her slip of paper with the coordinates continuously. Stasia stretched out her shoulders and swung her quarterstaff, warming up. The athletic centaur pawed the ground with impatience to get going.
Dani fidgeted with the Bud of Life on her wrist, watching them. She knew she should be memorizing, but was too distracted with anticipation to see what would happen next. She thought the two girls very brave for volunteering to go first.
“All right, ladies,” Finnderool said. “First, take your Princess Pansy.”
Stasia reached into the tin and took out a pellet. She nodded to Chloe, then pinched it and threw it on the ground. At once, the doll blew up. Dani wondered if the Pansies were made out of rubber or what. She shrugged off the question as Chloe picked it up.
“Is it heavy?” someone asked.
“No.” She gave the rest of them a nervous smile.
“Good luck,” several of them said.
“Right. You’ve got your equipment.” Finnderool put out his hand, and Chloe placed her slip of paper reluctantly on his palm. He closed his fist around it. “Ready, girls?”
They gathered themselves and nodded.
“Go!” Finnderool said.
All the other kids watched eagerly.
The pair jogged down the field, on their guard, Chloe hefting Princess Pansy with an arm around the doll’s waist. Stasia cantered ahead and then circled behind Chloe by just a few paces, scanning the field in all directions.
“Down!” the Guardian girl suddenly yelled.
Chloe dropped to a catlike crouch, pulling Princess Pansy with her.
Stasia galloped back to the Lightrider and shielded her and the doll from a flurry of bats that flew out of the woods to the right of the field and swooped by overhead.
Well. Dani folded her arms across her chest as she grimly realized Sir Peter had indeed rigged the playing field with magical obstacles to complicate their getting to the waypoint.
The wizard smiled innocently at the group.
As soon as the bats had passed, Chloe stood up again. Stasia and she picked up their pace, running the rest of the way down the field to the beam of light.
“Just some bats? That wasn’t so bad,” Brian murmured.
“We’ll see,” Dani said.
By the shining faux waypoint, Chloe set the doll on its feet. Princess Pansy bobbed around a little from side to side but didn’t fall.
While Stasia kept watch, Chloe lifted her arm and began dialing in the coordinates on the Bud of Life.
They all saw her hesitate.
“Hurry up!” Stasia said.
“I’m trying!”
“You were supposed to memorize the numbers!”
“Well, I didn’t have much time, did I? Just be quiet for a second and let me think!” Chloe moved about, pressing her fingers to her forehead.
Dani felt for her.
Stasia twirled her quarterstaff, waiting impatiently. The horse girl was kind of intimidating…
Dani felt an elbow nudge her. It belonged to Brian, standing beside her as t
hey awaited their turn. The tousle-headed boy cast a pointed nod at the slip of paper she was supposed to be memorizing.
“Right,” Dani mumbled. Better quit watching the show and make sure she had drummed her coordinates into her head by the time it was their turn. To flounder like Chloe was now would be so humiliating.
She turned away to focus, when, suddenly, an ominous sound came out of the woods to the left of the playing field.
Dani whirled around to see what was happening.
Stasia reeled to face it as well. The centaur girl gripped her quarterstaff as the underbrush started crackling.
The trees began to shake, and the whole group heard a garbled moan blare out of the woods.
“Open the portal!” Stasia cried.
Chloe gasped as a large, gray-skinned ogre suddenly bounded out of the woods and landed right on the midfield chalk line with an earthshaking boom.
It caught its balance and sniffed the air. Some seven feet tall, weighing hundreds of pounds, and dressed in rags, at least the ugly creature could not see the girls, for it was wearing a blindfold.
Sir Peter smiled generously.
Dani gulped. Ogres were stupid, but without Jake and his trusty telekinesis here to ward the creature off, she realized she was more scared of it than she’d normally be.
But it’s not real, she reminded herself.
Well, it looked real. It sounded real, too. It even smelled real. The dirty-washrag stink of ogre traveled downwind to the group looking on.
The two girls on the field looked horrified for a moment. They stood frozen while the ogre sniffed the air, trying to detect them through its blindfold.
Dimwitted they might be, but ogres had a fine sense of smell. Snuffling eagerly, the brute turned toward the team, holding its massive arms up. It started walking around searching for them by smell—as if this were some highly perilous game of blind man’s bluff.
Sir Peter waggled his eyebrows at the kids while Ebrahim grinned. Finnderool flipped his long hair over his shoulders with a toss of his head, smirking with amusement.
Dani frowned. The teachers were enjoying this far too much, and that was never a good sign. Brian gave her a worried look.