by Daniel Fife
"…King?" Danny questioned.
"Don't you newbs know anything?" scolded Rogen.
"They are not Lightborn," said Sabrina in Danny's defense.
"Ah, I see, that explains it," said Rogen.
"What do you mean we aren't Lightborn?" Doug asked, his voice showing his annoyance at the possible insult.
"It should not be taken offensively," explained Sabrina. "Lightborn simply refers to those that are the offspring of Knights of the Light. Rogen's father is Sir Gallad Gilder, a Knight of the Light, making him a Lightborn. My father is also a Knight of the Light, thus I am Lightborn as well. However, since none of your parents were ever participants in the Order of the Light, you are not considered Lightborn."
"I understand," Doug conceded, but he didn't like the designation.
"And who's this King of the Light?" Danny asked, targeting his question at Sabrina.
"The king is the head of the Order of Light," said Rogen in Sabrina's stead, an act that caused Sabrina to scowl at him. Rogen continued without noticing. "The King of the Light is the supreme commander, charged with protecting the Eye of Darkness at all costs. He never leaves the island and it is said that he is the most powerful of all knights."
"Then why isn't he in the game of Knights?" Danny asked, pulling his card deck from his pack, presenting it as evidence.
Rogen chuckled as he said, "So, you play Knights, do you, huh?"
"We all do," said Danny confidently.
Rogen produced a deck of his own. "If we weren't so close to shore I’d challenge you all to a game and I’d win."
"You didn't answer my question," ignoring the other boy's bravado.
Rogen's smile wavered, then disappeared, as he shrugged. "Children are not the only people that play the game," he said, his tone becoming serious. "The Light does not wish its enemies to know all of its secrets."
"I see," said Danny, once again reminded of the gravity of his upcoming training. Beneath the thrall of this new exciting world, there was a war waging, a war that had continued for countless generations; it could claim his life, as well as those of his friends. However, before Danny could contemplate further, a loud voice called out from the approaching shore.
"Ahoy, the ship—ahoy!"
"Ahoy from the Radiance!" a crew member yelled from the lookout, a small basket attached to the top of the second mast.
"Douse the sail and out the fenders!" the captain yelled from the back of the ship.
The Radiance glided toward the dock, a long structure of wooden planking that jutted out from the rocks around it. Danny noticed a wide path leading up a steep set of stairs, carved into the sheer cliff face, marked by a series of evenly-spaced torches.
"Fend the boat!" the captain bellowed. Like a threatened beehive, the crew worked swiftly, keeping the hull of the Radiance from scraping alongside the dock. The ship slowed to a stop, the crew secured the mooring lines. "Drop anchor and run the boarding plank!" the captain roared. Once the crew was finished, he remarked, "Well done, lads and lasses, welcome to White Rock Island."
Looking around, Danny noticed that the count on the forward deck had almost doubled, maybe tripled. The majority of the people gathered wore a collection of differently colored robes similar in fashion to that of the Navi's—or, some looked more eye-catching, like Vyce, the young captain of Dragon Army. Danny singled out a few who wore the insignia of a captain, a single piece of plate mail hanging over their left shoulder with the intricate design of their army inscribed on it, but he lost them in the crowd. Most of the squires present wore the defining armament of Bondeds; there were some, like himself who didn't.
The majority of the squires ran down the gangplank. Those with Bondeds strapped across their backs or secured to their sides crossed the dock and began ascending the stone steps. Those without Bondeds huddled around a tall wooden board decorated with pieces of yellow parchment.
"Come on," encouraged Rogen, urging Sabrina forward, "let's go see what army we were placed in."
Sabrina started to walk and then stopped. "You guys coming?"
Danny and Chris looked at each other fleetingly before following behind her with Doug, Matt and Alonso in tow.
Rogen led them to the tall message board, pushing his way to the front. After skimming the pages of parchment, he turned with a wide grin on his face. "Dragon Army!" he yelled. A few of the other squires turned to look at him with obvious jealousy. Moving back through the crowd, he stopped in front of Sabrina. "We are both in Dragon Army!"
"Perfect," Danny grumbled. However, before despair could overtake him, he felt Chris' reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"First-year squires, come to me, please," said a musical voice from somewhere to the rear, causing Danny to break away from his dark thoughts.
Danny turned to find a tall figure standing near the base of the steep steps. He wore flowing white robes, similar to those of the Navi. The only difference in his attire was a pair of black leather straps that crisscrossed his chest, holding an odd-looking contraption to his back. The device was some sort of scabbard, holding what looked like the hilts of seven different swords, their pommels peeking just over slopes of his shoulders. His head, shaved clean, sported a series of intricate tattoos, and his ears, long, pointed and lobe-less, marked him as an Elf, the race of the Long-lived. However, perhaps his most defining feature was the white wrapping that covered his eyes, suggesting his handicap. He was blind.
"Who's that?" Danny asked, "a Knight of the Light?"
"No," said Sabrina, "his name is Calador. He is the caretaker of the first-year squires."
Before Danny or anyone else could ask another question, a loud bell chimed twice from somewhere near the heart of the island, crisp and clear.
"That's the evening bells," said Rogen. "We need to go."
Sabrina nodded and then turned back toward Danny. "This is where we must part, Danny."
"What?" Danny asked, confused. "Will I be able to see you?"
Sabrina shrugged and said, "Possibly. Seek me out at the Dragon Army barracks. Training days range from Monday to Saturday, Sunday is a day of rest."
"Come on," urged Rogen, dragging Sabrina away by her right hand.
"Bye, my friends, good luck to you all," said Sabrina, pulled along by Rogen's impatience.
Danny's heart sank as he watched Sabrina turn and begin her long ascent up the white stairs. He wanted desperately to run to her and tell her how he felt, his feet refused to move.
"First-year squires, over here, please!" Calador yelled again, his voice calm, smooth and commanding.
"Perhaps we should join the others," said Chris, giving Danny's shoulder one final squeeze.
"Yeah," said Danny as Sabrina disappeared from sight, high atop the stairs leading up to the plateau of the island. Once she was gone, Danny followed Chris as he heeded the blind Elf’s command.
"First-year squires! …To me now!" Calador yelled again. Finally, a mass of new squires began to gather before him.
Danny found himself standing at the front of the group, the young squires behind him waiting quietly and patiently, except for Matt, who had difficulty standing still. He shuffled from side to side with excitement.
"Good. Now that everyone is here, allow me to introduce myself," said the tall Elf. "My name is Calador Varackice Con Dillion. I have been assigned to you as your caretaker. As such, I will fill the role of your mother as well as your father during your stay here at White Rock. Should you have any questions or concerns, come to me and I will address them."
Suddenly, a hand arose from the middle of the group, a boy with sandy blond hair.
"Now is not the time, young squire," said Calador in a polite tone of voice as the squire's hand drifted back down. "As I was saying, should you need anything, even a sympathetic ear, I will do my best to listen and to make your stay here at the Academy as comfortable as possible. However, be forewarned, the training you are about to undertake is quite difficult. For some of you, this is you
r first extended stay away from home. The combination of these two hindrances can become quite burdensome for first-year squires; I encourage you to seek me out should you feel overwhelmed.
"Now, with that said, I will show you the place you will call home for the next three months, your barracks." Calador performed a graceful about-face. He began walking toward the white stairs carved into the cliff face. "Please follow me and do watch your step."
"Is he blind?" Danny heard someone whisper from somewhere behind him.
"How can he see where the steps are?" another boy asked in a hushed tone.
"To answer your questions, I am indeed blind. I have lived upon this rock for just under a hundred years, my young squires, and as such, I have come to memorize all of its little details."
"Stop being rude," another squire scolded from somewhere in the group as they ascended the steps.
"Do not be silly, Squires," said Calador, still facing forward as he led them up. "My blindness does not hinder me, in fact I have become quite fond of it. If you have questions, by all means, ask them."
"How can he hear us?" the boy who had spoken first asked, his tone was no more than a whisper.
"He is an Elf, you idiot," clarified a spirited young girl to Danny’s left. Her short platinum-colored hair revealed the distinct features of her ears, which were lobe-less and came to an acute point. "Of course he can hear you. Elves have much better hearing than you simple Humans," she added.
"That's enough!" Calador demanded, raising his voice. He stopped and spun around. "What is your name, Squire?" he asked, targeting his sightless gaze on the young Elvin girl.
"Briza Roon Hollinger."
"You are here to become a Knight of the Light, are you not, Squire Hollinger?"
"Yes, sir," Briza said with conviction.
"Then know this, Squire Hollinger, and everyone else working toward that goal," said Calador, looking at each individual in the group, "you all work toward a common goal as well as against a common enemy. Alone, you will not succeed, together you will triumph. Do not belittle yourself with such mundane prejudices. Whether you are Elf, a Human or something else entirely, all will need the others to survive. Is that clear?"
As one, the group said, "Yes, sir."
Danny watched as Briza's chin dropped an inch, whether in shame or out of respect, he couldn't be sure.
"She's beautiful," whispered Doug, causing Briza's head to perk up, look past Danny and find Doug's wide-eyed stare.
"All Elves have superior hearing," clarified Calador with a slight smile. "Mine is better than most due to the loss of my sight. That is why, my young squires, I can hear you so clearly. It is also why I can navigate this island so well. And, lastly, it is how I will know exactly who causes any mischief, should that event come to pass." With that, Calador turned and resumed his ascent.
Briza smiled before continuing her climb, causing Doug's face to redden.
An entire city was laid out at the top of the stairs, crafted from the same white stone that made up the greater part of the island below it. Two rows of tall, bulky buildings, constructed in the shape of small castles, separated by a wide brick road, stretched out before the group of first-year squires. Each towering structure was marked with a high flagpole that sported the insignia of the appropriate army at the top and a white flag with the symbol of Light just below it, both fluttering in the subtle breeze. The barracks on the right flew a black flag with the crest of a curled python; the barracks on the left sported a purple flag picturing a proud dog.
"Welcome to the White Rock Academy of Illumination," said Calador, turning, bowing gracefully.
"Where's the Dragon Army barracks?" Danny asked.
"Toward the middle of Army Avenue, young squire, the road we currently travel," said Calador, straightening his back. "We shall pass it on the way to the first-year barracks. Follow me."
Passing between the barracks of Python Army and Dog Army, Danny could feel the burden of eyes upon him. Some stared, standing just beyond the heavy wooden doors that marked the entrance to the small castle-like structures, the colors of their robes matching the color of the flag that marked their respectful armies. Others called out to Calador like an old friend, their tones full of respect.
"Do you know all of them?" Danny asked.
"As I said before, young squire, I have served this post for many a year," Calador answered, blankly staring forward. "My memory is just as sharp as my hearing. There is not one squire within the Academy that I do not know, you will realize that once we arrive at our destination."
Calador led them onward, past the next two barracks. The one on the left flew a brown flag with the emblem of a sneering rat, and on the right rippled a yellow flag portraying a large lion baring sharp fangs in a roar.
The group of squires grew quiet as the members of each army looked on at them with a mirthful curiosity, whispering. Danny could have sworn he heard a few of them say, "Newbs." However, he paid them little heed as he followed Calador along the wide brick road. He noticed a deep red flag on the left, it sported a long-tailed dragon with vivid yellow flames escaping its mouth. Marking the army barracks on the opposite side, in order to remember this location, he noted the bright orange flag with a broad winged phoenix sewed into the fabric. "That's where Sabrina is," he said, not intending the comment for anyone in particular.
"You'll see her again, man," encouraged Chris as he walked next to him.
Danny wasn't too sure as he reluctantly passed the tall building.
Calador led them past the last two barracks. On the left, a light-blue flag portrayed a high-backed horse, the flag marking the army on the right was colored forest green with the image of a flying griffin printed upon it. Passing the two towering structures, the tall Elf led them onward, coming to the end of the avenue as well as the edge of the island. Before them loomed a building similar to the barracks of all the other armies but it was nearly double the size. Five stories high and bricked in the same white stone, the barracks flew a single white flag with the symbol of Light portrayed upon it in bold black stitching.
"Welcome," said Calador after stepping up a series of three white steps, turning his back toward a pair of large wooden doors. "Directly within you will find the common hall. This will be a place for you to relax, practice, study and socialize. On either side of the hall, you will find a winding staircase. The left set of stairs will lead you to the boys' dormitory; the stairs on the right will take you to the girls'. You have until the last bell to explore."
"...Last bell?" a sandy haired squire toward the front of the large group asked, a question Danny would have asked if the boy hadn't beaten him to it.
"Upon your arrival, you heard the chime of two bells, correct?"
The squire nodded.
"On the Island of White Rock, we mark time using an ancient method," explained Calador. "The bells of the main keep chime every hour on the hour." He pointed toward the huge castle on the highest part of the island, its dual spires nearly reaching the limits of the starry sky. "On the island, the bells start at twenty-four chimes every new day and count down to one. For example, in about forty minutes, the last bell will chime. For those of you that are not Lightborn, this would be eleven o'clock. After the last bell, the cycle will start anew with twenty-four chimes, marking it midnight."
"That's confusing," said Alonso.
"I'd say it's pretty easy," said Chris. "You just count the day down from twenty-four."
"Precisely," encouraged Calador in a calm voice. "Now, as I said, you all have about forty minutes until the last bell. You may use that time to explore your new home. However, once the last bell rings, I expect you all to gather in the common hall. Is that clear?"
"Yes, sir!" the group said, the combined voices melded into one loud acknowledgment.
Calador waited with limited patience as the group stood in silence, no one really wanting to make the first move. "Well, go on, then," urged the Elf.
The group of first-year
squires surged forward, pulling the double doors open, entering the barracks.
Forced along by the mass of squires around him, Danny found himself shoved inside. Caught by surprise, he gasped at the sheer size of the common hall. The walls were bricked in the same white stone as the rest of the island; the ceiling was high and vaulted. The size of the room rivaled the gymnasium at school. At the end of the long lobby were a series of stained-glass windows that portrayed great knights of old. Two huge fireplaces, set alight with crackling fires, were placed on both sides of the room, bathing the pale walls in an amber illumination. Above, just below the ceiling, a series of small blazing spheres danced, lighting the hall in a mild glow.
"Magic," Danny assumed.
"This place is amazing," said Chris, plopping down on one of the many black leather couches that lined the stone floor.
"Unbelievable is more like it," Danny said, sitting down next to him.
"You think those balls of light are magic?" Matt asked, peering up at the ceiling.
"Indeed they are, young squire," said Calador from behind them. "They were created by Bartholomew, the caretaker of these barracks."
"Is he a wizard?" Matt asked, scooting forward in excitement.
"Indeed he is, Squire, you will meet him soon enough," said Calador. "However, I encourage you all to explore and pick out your quarters before the better rooms are taken." The tall Elf nodded, smiled and pointed toward a winding staircase, before moving off.
Danny and Chris exchanged glances before jumping up and darting toward the stairs. "Come on," Danny urged, forcing Matt, Doug and Alonso into a steady run behind them.
They found a room on the third level, toward the back of the barracks. The room contained six beds and a single large window that faced out over the cresting waves of the ocean, displaying the flickering lights of the raging storm beyond. However, before they could investigate the barracks further, a single chime of the bells signaled that their time was up. Placing their packs upon the beds, claiming them, they did as instructed and made their way back down to the common hall.