Chapter 1 (d): A Thomas Kinkade Painting (...Contd)

Rinzen turned, hand automatically going to his side and wincing as he recalled he didn't have a weapon on him, The Japanese had copied him, and at least three out of the remaining had moved into a defensive stance.

"Good reflexes", the newcomer continued walking down a narrow staircase, Rinzen hadn't earlier noticed, which irritated him, he was known for his observation skills.

Having a father as a leader of the Venerers—The Supernatural Police, that looked after their sanctuary and maintained discipline and order between the Humans and Magicks, it was vexing to not notice a hidden staircase.

"Who are you?" he demanded, pushing both Scarfy and Red behind him.

Ignoring him, the person walked into the room, stopping a few paces away from him and the other six behind him. He was tall, well shorter than Rinzen and Scarfy, but he clearly towered over the others. He was built slightly more muscularly than Rinzen but was also on the lithe side, his eyes were the brightest blue ever, they made Scarfy's pale in comparison. Hair black, short, but unruly standing up on ends, he was obviously older than them, but Rinzen could only guess if he were in his late twenties or early thirties, or he apparently used magic to look younger, but if he was going to do that no one in their right mind would choose to look older than twenty-five.

"Welcome to Hale Academy", he answered instead of replying, "Unfortunately sudden teleportation has yet to include weapon transfers", he smiled then a tad cheekily, "Though the Magic of the Academy usually only chooses you when you're down on your defenses, or in some cases utterly unguarded", he answered.

"Like after a shower", The Asian asked peeved.

"Exactly", he grinned, "Oh wait…" he sobered instantly, and then grimaced, "I didn't expect it to be a girl this time", he muttered weakly.

"So men tend to drop towels around you a lot", Rinzen asked amused.

The man laughed, a startled bark of laughter, "More times than you would think", he teased amused. A throat clearing, had him biting his lower lip and wincing turning he smiled, "Ms. Harris", he greeted, someone and then continued after a beat, "Right", he swallowed and turned back to the students, "To talk about the main thing, as your leader pointed out, names have power, so for the next three years at Hale Academy, you will be addressed by names of your choice, nicknames", he clarified, "These will be the only way you will be identified. Now, this School, is sitting on a nexus of ley lines", he explained, "Which unfortunately means it's sentient", he stated the floor rumbled under them startling nearly all of them;

"Oh fine! She", he rolled his eyes correcting the pronoun, "She has a mind of her own, and she chooses The Ascendants—"

"Hang on just one second!" Rinzen interjected stepping forward, "Slow down Boss, you've been on one hell of a roll; I have a half a dozen questions. First of all, I am no one's leader", he stated shaking his head, "Second of all, what if we already have nicknames, and third of all what the hell is an Ascendant?" he demanded.

The redhead on his left hand, "Exactly", she demanded.

"What he said", Scarfy added. "And she said", he added after a beat, the redhead offered him a two-finger salute.

"Oh right, you haven't been through orientation yet", he hummed.

"You think?" Rinzen demanded exasperated.

"If you agree to join Hale Academy, we will explain what an Ascendant is", he stated simply.

"And if we choose not to?" The Frenchman demanded.

"Then I, unfortunately, have some rather important news to tell you. If you do not choose to be an Ascendant, you will never have magic. Now, this isn't something in my control, many before you have chosen to not accept the Ascendant gift and have lived fulfilling lives as humans, mundane's yet utterly incapable of ever being anything magical", he answered at length. "That doesn't make you're weak, it just makes you a part of the population that's currently a minority", he answered simply.

"And if we choose?" Rinzen asked warily.

The man smirked, "Well your life will never quite be the same again, you will be removed from your normal everyday life and you will for the next three years, learn to fight, understand Ascendant magic and work to save the world", he answered succinctly.

"Save the world from what?" The Redhead asked weakly.

"Interitus orbis terrarum", he answered simply.

"What does that mean?" Someone asked confused.

Rinzen and Pajamas swallowed thickly;

"The destruction of the world", they said in unison.

Frowning Rinzen turned to him, "By who?" he asked, "Or more importantly by what?" he asked swallowing weakly.

Ms. Harris stepped up, "Every three years, I'm sure you've noticed, there are these Elite warriors, that come to your town or on the news. Those Elite warriors are you or like you", she corrected, "Ascendants", she stated, "We don't know who is going to destroy the world, this fight has been going on, behind the scenes for at least hundreds of years. Hundreds", she repeated. "Seven special people chosen every three years to protect the realm", she explained in detail.

"So we're alive for just three years?" The Japanese asked.

"I don't think so", Germany answered, "They're alive", they answered, "And I think they were both, are both Ascendants too", they said, "Whatever the hell that is", they added still wary about being an Ascendant.

"I'd like to stay", The Japanese answered, "I come from an entire clan of Spiritual High Priestesses of the Shamanic Council of High Priestess", she explained, "It would suck to be born the only Normal human. But if I choose to be an Ascendant, whatever that is, I am guessing I have to leave home?" she asked quietly.

"Yes", the man answered point-blank.

Ms. Harris smiled, and she continued; "Hale Academy has only ever chosen people who have lost everything, who have been victimized, bullied, generally treated as an outcast. People who do not fit into the three groups, Borne, Opsimaths and Awakened and are condemned for it", she stated quietly. "There are Humans here that choose to live free away from all the pain, and there are Ascendants that later give birth to the three kinds, and are taught that discrimination is a big no-no", he explained easily.

"And yes to answer your question you will have to leave your world behind, correspondence with the family is allowed, you're not prisoners", he stated, "But your location and identities will forever be masked, it's to protect others like you, like us", he answered, "Mr. Leader", he said smirking as Rinzen scowled at him, "Do you know what Sui Generis means?" he asked cheekily.

Rinzen scowled, "As an Ascendant whatever the hell that is, you must be hard of hearing. I told you, I am not anyone's leader", he huffed exasperated, "And yes to answer your question", he continued, "Sui Generis means of its (his, her, their) own kind; in a class by itself; unique", he clarified.

"Exactly Ascendants are unique", he said. "Now, let's get down to business, will you be staying?" he asked the remaining six present.

"I would like to stay too", the redhead answered, "My family is all Bean Sìth, imagine being the only human in a house of people who can sense death?" she asked them all rolling her eyes.

Scarfy snickered, and "I'd just like to stay because I haven't got much of a family who is going to miss me", he answered shrugging nonchalantly.

"I as well", Germany answered, "Although I do have an eccentric aunt Flora", they muttered.

"My family doesn't really care about me, I live on my own", Frenchman answered. "Well, sort of", he muttered half to himself.

"My father would have a heart attack", Pajamas answered, "I'm in, just to piss him off", she grinned cheekily.

"There's a story there", Scarfy stated amused.

They all turned to Rinzen, who swallowed weakly.

Rinzen had spent almost all of his teen years feeling vaguely uncomfortable in his own skin. He mostly knew he was awesome, okay; it was just that he was also acutely aware of his flaws. Or at least the things other kids counted as flaws. His intensity for one thing, often made other kids he was getting friendly with back-off. His True-blue loyalty had always been an understatement for other teenagers who just weren't prepared to handle that kind of fidelity.

The babbling thing annoyed most people—actually all people—on the days when he couldn't focus, and on the other days when his attention was sharp as a razor but limited in scope they resented his stillness and silence.

Balance was hard for him, and he had struggled for years to find that line. Now, he was supposed to be some kind of hero?

*What in the name of Hell?*

Jackson had pretty much been his only friend for years until he'd awoken to his powers. The dude stuck by him when no one else would and tried to ease the way for other people to join Rinzen's orbit. Then he'd awoken and he'd changed into a popular dick.

He knew who he was and had been secure in that during the two years after all his peers had awoken to their powers one after the other, he had taken several classes in martial arts, and tactical warfare, and weapon's training just to stand at the same level of everyone he knew.

He resented it immensely that everyone was eroding that confidence just a little bit.

Now that he was 18 and actively knew if he didn't choose to be a savior of the world, he'd forever be human, and he hated to admit that people at 16 were a special kind of stupid. Not all of them and most of them meant well, but still. They were fresh-faced and finding their feet, and they were desperate to prove they could handle a little thing called 'Life as a Magick'.

They always seemed to think they knew everything and refused to listen to any advice. Now he could admit that he knew pretty much nothing as well and that nobody else really had a better idea of what they were doing. Everyone was flailing in the dark while pretending they could see perfectly fine, but they kept dragging him down and tossing him into the abyss, walking all over him and it sucked.

Rinzen nodded and "I'm in", he answered with a smile.

They all cheered, Scarfy hugged him, and Redhead and the Japanese tackled him with happiness.

"Excellent", the man answered, "If you've had a nickname for longer than ten years, it's akin to your true name, and can also be used to control you, be advised. My "name" is", he quoted and smirked cheekily, "James, nice to meet you all", he greeted them all.

Scarfy raised his hand, "Hi, I'm Ray"; he greeted them and then waved.

The redhead raised her hand, "Nice to meet you Ray, and questionably; James", she smirked at him.

James snorted and nodded acquiescing to her cheekiness.

"I'm Bell", The Japanese answered.

"Jasmine", The Indian answered quietly.

"Ash", The Frenchman answered quietly.

"Zee", Germany answered, "That's zed and two E's", she clarified.

"Vani", the Redhead finally greeted smiling at both James and Ray, the latter who had been glaring at her mockingly.

When they all turned to him he sighed, "Deja vu", he huffed rolling his eyes, "My name is Zen", he answered, "It's good—" he questioned, "—to meet all of you", he greeted them cheekily.

James grinned, "And now, some things are worth being redundant for", he said and then walking to a curtained off area, he nodded towards Ms. Harris, who walked pulling the material with her, he pushed open the doors and waiting for all of them to walk out of the large French doors, he waved elegantly. They all spilled out on to a large lawn where right in front of them, there stood a view, straight out of a Thomas Kinkade painting with a large mansion;

"Welcome to Hale Academy!"

xXxXx

(End of Chapter One

Word Count: 1972

Total Word Count: 7637)