"You’re right because they are, that is the wandering forest."
"Wandering forest, you have got to be making that up Coach?"
"Yea Coach, that's not real. It’s just a fairy tale they like to tell kids to scare them about the surface." Duke says.
"Don’t they teach you about the forest anymore? Huh, well I am not making it up and it is moving. I was looking for the forecast for where it would be this year on the net before we left. They didn't even have Bastion as a possibility, because they nested there last year."
"Nested?" Vernon asks.
"They migrate for winter and are always changing where they nest or take root for the winter. They never take the same route they take to get there. Some people who study them try to get close, but the trees will move out of the way. The same thing happens with tourists that follow them as well. Some say it’s not just the trees in the wandering forest that have ears and eyes but all the trees on this planet do. Most of that is rubbish through. They even say that they talk, but no one has ever proven it."
"That’s crazy, why hasn't anyone told us about these?" Duke asks.
"Do we tell you when the birds migrate, no we don’t but I do think we need to talk to you about the mysteries in the world. I guess the stories of the fountain of youth hidden within the wandering forest got lost on this generation."
"I read that story when I was young." Duke says, "Are you saying that it’s true?"
"The Fountain, no not that I have ever heard of or seen. The trees though are real, and right out that window.”
10
Bastion starts to creep up in the distance now and has a visible yet faint glow. The coliseum is by far the most visible and brightest spot in town. It was a beautiful sight to behold. The darkness wrapped around trying to consume the light, the light ever pushing back keeping the darkness at bay. Even the water of the adjoined lake was lit by the glow from the city.
Finally they arrived and pull up to the hotel’s drive through to check in, he can smell the clean and fresh mountain air. Vernon, Duke, and Flint share a room, while Ashley and Emma share another. Both rooms share a door but after lights out Coach Hill closes the door. It activates the child safety lock, so only his HaLO can unlock the adjoining door. Vernon lies in bed waiting for morning to come, with dreams of winning dancing though his head.
Vernon wakes to an empty room the next morning, and a note flashes in his overlay. Duke sent it to him telling him they were eating breakfast and then heading to the Coliseum. He walks down to the complimentary breakfast area and decides to eat a larger breakfast than usual today. He can hear Marie in the back of his mind telling him to finish his meal.
Vernon looks over at the Coliseum standing over a hundred stories tall, and ten blocks wide. It lights up the street with all of it's displays. Over the entrance reads ‘The Coliseum’ in big bold red letters covered in lights. There is a constant flow of people coming in and out of the entrance. He makes his way across the street and enters into the Bastion coliseum. It’s a bit different from the arena in Saint Anthony. His was much older looking and was the first arena built. They were remodeling it but it won’t look anything like this place.
This coliseum was beautiful. Hand sculpted, hand crafted, without a single detail missed. The marble ceilings, silk rugs, and granite pillars run throughout the entirety. Another reason they called this place the second world wonder. Gambling devices were set up covering the outer walls and the center, with just enough space to walk through. This was the only sanctioned city for gambling and they did not let it go to waste.
There are advertisements everywhere reading his HaLO as he passes by, each greeting him personally. Stores line up as far as he could see in either direction. This was more of a tourist trap than a coliseum. Vernon was gawking at everything around him standing right on the other side of the entrance blocking the path to get into that door. He finally snaps to and looks up to see on a large overhanging display with information for him.
Participants in the MMA tournament matches please head toward the staging area.
Upon reading this, Vernon's HaLO activates an overlay showing the way. A virtual arrow pops up in the center of his vision going though people as they walk by. It is pointing to the left and then recedes to the upper right of his vision and stays there for reference. As he follows the path, he picks up pieces of conversation here and there.
People gossiping away, placing bets. Some question if he's one of the high school participants, and what team he’s on. Then there are some saying the Paladin’s Captain Commander is here to oversee this tournament. Vernon’s ears perked up on that last one because hadn't even seen anything like that on the forums.
“Excuse me sir, would you like your fortune read?” A man’s voice says with a thick accent Vernon couldn’t place.
Vernon turns to see a small tan skinned man with a blue turban on his head that had a red jewel in the center. Behind him is a table with a crystal ball and a sign that reads fortunes. His overlay fills with extra flashing lights and fireworks surrounding the booth.
“I’m sorry but I don’t have time I need to register...” Vernon gets cut off.
“For the tournament yes, but that is easy enough to figure out. You don’t have to worry about that. What I have to tell you won’t take long, the great Fortune does not disappoint.”
“Alright, I’m game I guess.”
“Excellent, then come right over here and sit down.” He claps his hands and a chair slides out from under the table. “Once again I will say something with no surprise here, you seek to win the tournament yes?”
“Yes I do, I would like to win it all.”
“That is a good answer, a strong answer. So tell me young one, do you take the path of the sword or the shield?” Fortune lays out two tarot cards on the table, one of with the symbol of a sword embedded with runes, and the other a rune encrusted shield.
“I’m not sure, what do they mean?”
“They will give different fortunes. I see something interesting with you here. Since you are new customer, I give both to you. Next time you pay.”
“Are you sure, there may not be a next time.”
“Vernon, this is Fortune you talk to. I know there will be next time.” Fortune says while taking the accent and over inflection out of his voice.
“How did you know my name?” Vernon asks. Fortune just points toward his name and smiles a large curled smile showing off his silvery teeth.
“Take both. Read one now, and one after a long night. You will know of when I speak.” Vernon takes the sword and flips it over. It reads:
‘Beware your reflection for it may not always be what see.’
“You go now, you have registration do you not?”
“Yes and thank you. I think.” Vernon says half convinced this man is a crazed nut.
He gets up and turns to continue walking, pulling back up the overlay directions which partially obstruct his view. Next to that he also runs a search on the paladin website. Looking through everything that had posted in the last couple of hours. He can't find any information about where the Captain Commander was, which is pretty typical. His vision buried within the forums he bumps into a man in a long brown coat in front of him. Vernon stumbles backward but catches himself before he falls. The man turns around and looks at Vernon. With a smile he asks,
"You alright there?"
"Yes sir I am, and I am sorry about walking into you like that. I was on the net while walking and following an overlay path. I should have been paying attention to where I was going. I know that’s an excuse but I am on my way to register for the MMA tournament here and I shouldn’t be so careless."
"You must have been raised right to have manners like that. That is a quality you don’t see in many of our youth today. Thank you young man for the apology and no harm no foul. So what’s your name?"
"Vernon Douglas."
"Vernon huh, well I am going to be watching over this tournament today, and I’m intere
sted now in seeing what you can do."
"Thank you sir, that’s kind of you but I need to keep going and get registered or I will be late."
"Of course, of course, go right ahead and good luck out there Vernon Douglas, you’re going to need it."
Vernon walks away and can see the registration booth just up ahead. He then gets an unregistered message through his HaLO. 'Sorry for not introducing myself. My name is Tyler and I will be officiating today and like I said I'll be rooting for you, so good luck'.
Vernon turns around to see that the man in the coat was gone. He doesn’t know how he sent that message and Vernon just shrugs it off continuing to the booth so he does not miss the registration time. Everyone else had already registered, which meant he got to walk right up, just the way he likes it. The lady behind the booth scans his HaLO. Telling him that they are requiring all participants to use only runes that provided. That there will be no personal runes used in this tournament. Any personal items will have to be registered and stored.
There are two Paladins, in full dress attire, standing there with rune detector in hand next to a walk-through scanner. Vernon puts his bag down on the conveyor belt and walks through the scanner. It beeps on his way though.
"Sir, do you have any runic tattoos or any other objects with runic carvings on them?"
"Not that I know of, no sir."
The Paladin waves his wand over Vernon and it sets off around his neck. He continues to wave it over the rest of his body with no other alarms and then comes back to his neckline with the wand and it beeps again.
"Do you have a necklace on sir or have had any metallic runes placed in you?"
"Yes I do have a necklace, it’s a pendant. I’ve had this for years and it never once activated or reacted as a rune."
"Please take off the necklace sir, and put it on the conveyor belt."
Vernon takes off his pendant and puts it on the conveyor belt. He watches as it goes into the scanner. Orange lights start flashing, and the read out shows his necklace is a rune. The Paladin at the end of the conveyor belt picks up the necklace, and begins to inspect it. Vernon can see that he is attempting to put a charge of magic into it but he isn't getting a reaction from it.
Flipping over the necklace he finds a way to open it. Vernon had never even thought to try to open his pendant before, let alone look for a button on it. There are some moving parts inside, a small circuit board, and in the middle is an hour glass filled with a rainbow colored liquid. The Paladin looked at Vernon and asked him if he had ever seen this before. Vernon shook his head with a slack jawed expression on his face. The Paladin then tried to charge the insides of the necklace, again to no avail.
"Since this is registering as a rune with the rune detectors, you have to check it in. Any runes not provided will have to go into the lock-box for storage till after the matches end today."
“Provided?” Vernon asks.
"Yes, since Tyler Heimlic is the official over this tournament, he decided to make some changes for today. With this being a placement match he implemented a few regulations for the safety of the Paladins under his command. All runes given for use today are Knight level quality, and will be given for use in the tournament before the opening ceremonies. Your runes go into your lock-box, in the locker room with a code linked to your HaLO. Currently we have you with registered with five runic items of varying strengths. All will need to be in the lock-box before you are able to participate today. You will be scanned once before each of the matches today for any unregistered runes. The lock-box will open after all matches have finished."
"When did this happen?"
"Like I said a second ago. The Captain Commander is overseeing everything here today, he ordered extra precautions."
"The Paladin Captain Commander is going to be the official today?"
"Yes. He will be your main judge today."
Vernon stands there befuddled for a moment, because he had just bumped into a Tyler that said he was an official. Grabbing his bag, necklace, and the lists the runes in his possession he heads to the locker room. Once there he sees that everyone else had been waiting for him. They were all dressed and ready to go, because the opening ceremonies are about to begin.
"So Vernon, you finally catch up huh?" Duke says.
"Yea I ran into someone on the way here by accident, and then had to check in my runes."
"Yea, they made me do that too. I didn't ask why they were doing that but it won’t be the same as having my own runes to use."
"I know what you mean Duke, it always feels different with new runes. Almost like you have to break them in or something. On top of that I even had to put my pendant away because it was registering as a rune. I've worn that necklace for years, and never even considered it to be one."
"That’s crazy, didn't your dad give you that when you were younger?"
"He did, and he said it would keep me safe. So now I guess I know what he meant. I still don't know what it does though and the insides look very intricate. All types of crazy high tech stuff in there."
"Is that a technical term Vernon?" Flint jokes.
"Very funny Flint, but seriously come look at this thing, I have been wearing this for almost sixteen years now and this was in there the whole time."
"You can ask your dad about it later. Right now we have to get ready. We also need to go pick up runes to use. Hope they have something decent left for us.” Duke says.
The group walks from the locker room to the line for the opening ceremony. All the rune users are lined up to receive new runes. Vernon finally gets to the front, and can see the variety they have available. There are empty rings, boots, gloves, and pendants. Then varying sizes to fit into the given apparel. Vernon goes for a couple of rings, and grabs two small ice runes for the rings. Then he grabs a pair of boots and two wind runes to fit there and finally he grabs a pendant, and one more wind rune. For the rings and pendant, he screws in the runes, making sure they are snug. With the boots, he inserts the runes into place. They snap in like magnets, and he then wraps a cloth cover over the rune in each boot as an extra precaution.
Vernon looks at Duke who’s face is like a kid in a candy store. He can tell that Duke is contemplating what combinations he is going to take into the matches with him. He already had everything set before getting here, but now he has to rethink all the runes he is going to use. Duke finally settles on every rune available. Two pendants, four rings, a belt, gloves, and boots, each with different and multiple runes in them. Vernon thinks to himself, of course a sage would go from one plan to a last minute change to incorporate everything.
"Duke you sure you’re going to be ok with only four rings?" Vernon says sarcastically.
"Yea that should be good, I think I have all the angles covered now with this change." Duke replies seriously.
11
Vernon can see the stage is surrounded with students as he enters the coliseum floor. Center stage is the Astrum government insignia. A red arbor with a white shooting star traveling across it surrounded within a circle filled in with stars. The man Vernon bumped into walks onto the stage and the crowd of students goes silent. He looks around as all the people in the stands flood in, and wishes that his parents were among them. Lights click on around the stage and all point to the man at the center.
The coliseum goes silent.
"People of Eden, I would like to extend my personal gratitude for your attendance today. My name is Tyler Hemlic, I am the Captain Commander of the Paladin Order and I will be your Master of Ceremonies here today. We all have been given a great honor here to witness the first official High School Mixed Magical Arts Tournament. Our gracious host, The City of Bastion, is to thank for these glorious and luscious facilities. Today we shall witness the preliminary matches for the main tournament which is going to be held in New Atlantis. The points system will be in effect today. There will also be extra points awarded to schools that participate in the two surprise additions. One on one matches, and
a free-for-all match. The extra matches are voluntary but could give as much points for the winners as the main bout. Students you will need to choose wisely. You will be receiving a HaLO prompt momentarily that will allow you to register for one or both of the extra challenges today."
Extending out his left arm with his index and middle finger out, waves his fingers around in a circle, then swipes to the right. Vernon could tell he was using some kind of overlay command, and receives a message prompt. Tyler is softly saying a prayer over the ground as Vernon opens the notification. Three options appear in the middle of their vision;
None; One on One; Free for All.
Vernon reaches out and opts into both. An oversized ok button pops up to the side, and he presses it. He looks to Duke who nods his head. Vernon guesses he was in, which is great to know he won’t be alone. This opportunity is what Vernon had been praying for. Go big as the saying goes.
Tyler starts talking again, ”With that settled, we can begin the setup for the one on one matches. We will have four separate tiers going at the same time on this floor. They will be separated off, and walls added in just for this round. Once completed, the top four will face off to determine the winner. We will then continue onto the group matches, and then to conclude the tournament today will be the free for all. May the stars guide you all, and let the tournament begin!"
Vernon and the other students who opted in are lead over to the side as the officials have bring a shield generator to split the area into four roughly equal parts. They tell them the brackets are setup so no one had to start off fight your teammates. Vernon notices that Duke is in group two, and he is in group one. Flint, Emma, and Ashley weren’t apart of any of the groups.
Vernon looks around to see his competition. There is someone in New Atlantian green and blue, but it doesn't look like any of the people he went up against the other day. He looks like a mage, with a runic robe. Vernon didn’t remember seeing any robes available. They could have run out of them or placed the robes aside for just the mages. Then he turns his gaze to the guy with Hope Dome's red and orange on. It is an incredibly flamboyant skin tight jumpsuit.
Cypher Theorem Series Box Set: Books 1-3, The Zero Class, Shadow Moon, Dragon Fire: A Science Fiction Fantasy Page 7