Heath
Spending Saturday with Nadine and her mates was as pleasant as always. However, the strategy session geared toward protecting students at the regional tournament wasn’t productive. There were too many suspects, and a lack of knowledge to work with.
They spent an equal amount of time discussing Mitchel Pierce and the situation in the elemental dorm.
Nadine had also been a monitor prior to accepting a professorship.
Having all the boys in one spot, it was clear to both of them that the young elementals were comparatively subdued, and less secure.
Something needed to be done in regard to Mitch, and the detrimental effect he was having on the elemental students. With the tournament months away, this was the more immediate concern. He wasn’t alone in that opinion.
Both caster and elemental monitors were currently under scrutiny. Armando Garcia was looking more closely at Ray after Friday. However, since Ray had cooperated with Clark, and assisted with all the boys at the game, he was being given the benefit of the doubt.
Ray was probably playing nice to cover his ass. However, it was possible that he had confused the dates, and missed the deadline to reserve a bus. The young casters seemed to have a decent relationship with him. Heath had witnessed that when they sat together in the stands.
Records showed that Ray had attended several games and pep rallies with young students in previous years. That spoke in his favor, convincing Armando Garcia to let him slide this time. Mitch had only escorted students once in his first year as a monitor.
Heath shook his head as he strolled away from the administration building. Mitch was an idiot. It was bad enough that he hadn’t offered to escort his students to the game, and secured transportation to do so. That wasn’t only laziness, but a violation of his duties.
What could possibly have possessed him to argue with Jace, and try to stop the students from leaving? There was no excuse for that. Mitch kept pointing fingers at Clark, but he was sabotaging himself right out of a job.
Heath was walking past the Humanities building when he noticed something unnatural. The water in the pond was forming a vortex above the surface. It swelled into a massive, pointed wave, and moved toward a bank of windows on the first floor of the building.
The precise movement of the water made it unlikely to be an accident brought on by strong emotion. It was possible, but the odds were against it. That was a classroom, and someone appeared to be attacking it.
With a flex of his forearm, Heath’s wand slid into his hand like an extension of himself. He cast a dispersal spell that was only partially effective. Some of the water cascaded back into the pond, where it belonged.
But most of it continued to obey the elemental who had to be commanding it. Next, he tried to redirect the water, with no result. That was proof to Heath that this was not a stress-related occurrence.
Since Mars and Venus prided themselves on teaching control to those who struggled with it, all the professors at both colleges were experienced in crisis management.
Hundreds of students having just come into their powers could be a volatile combination.
Mishaps, some of them very dangerous, happened, often publicly.
But, that wasn’t the case, here. The water being impervious to his spells meant that this was not an accident. It was a planned attack by someone well-versed in controlling his element.
His rank for castings other than earth spells was a six-point-eight. That was nothing to be embarrassed by. Heath had the power to cast most spells without an issue.
But with sufficient training, even a low-ranking elemental would be able to thwart a spell meant to disrupt his or her element while they commanded it. Elementals would always have a closer tie to nature than casters. And this elemental had clearly been trained.
Mitch most likely knew that his days here at Mars were numbered after his temper tantrum on Friday. Heath would bank on the classroom being Clark’s, and that Mitch was insane enough to carry out his vendetta against the powered monitor.
With a rank of eight-point-two, Mitch was strong enough to direct a considerable amount of water while changing some of it to ice, and forming shapes with it. He couldn’t think of anyone else who had the motive, self-destructive tendencies, and power to pull off something on this scale.
Heath heard shouts and the sound of running feet as students on the quad spotted the impending disaster. That was good. It was pointless for him to stand here, and try to fight this elemental. Earth spells wouldn’t do much under the current circumstances.
“Do what you can to slow this down,” Heath bellowed as he ran for the rear entrance of the Humanities building. “I’m going inside.”
The targeted classroom was the second from the end. Heath needed to know what was going on in there, and help if at all possible. Several voices shouted assurances that they would fight the wave.
He hoped that an older caster with the foresight and knowledge to cast for the perpetrator was in proximity. Heath didn’t have the time to do so himself. Damage control was the immediate priority.
Heath had no idea what other classes might currently be in session. But most of the professors who taught in this building were scholars with low-ranking powers, and or on the elderly side. The subjects they taught were applicable to anyone, and didn’t require demonstrations of power.
Clark would not have help from his neighbors, who could also be in danger. Voudrie was reportedly quite accomplished, with a high-ranking power. But animating objects would only do so much in a classroom where there was little to work with.
Skidding around the corner of the building, Heath scaled the steps two at a time, and wrenched open the doors. With his wand out, he ran past the first classroom, stopping in front of the door of the second.
Seeing a metal pin stuck in the lock plate to prevent the door from opening, infuriated him. There was even a pitchfork braced against the door with the doorknob between two of its tines for good measure.
The students were trapped in the room. This was heinous. With one furious swipe of his wand, the pin was ejected, and the pitchfork fell to the floor.
Hearing the sound of splintering glass motivated Heath to move faster. Yanking the door open with his left hand, he cast a shield with his right as sharp shards of ice and glass flew into the classroom.
His shield was milliseconds away from being tested for durability when the glass and ice were sucked forcibly out of the room. Heath didn’t care who had saved the day, only that someone had. That was far too close for comfort.
Heaving a sigh of relief, Heath holstered his wand, and looked for the students. The boys were huddled against a wall out of the direct path the water would have taken. In front of them was a barricade comprised of every large and or flat object in the room.
Clark stood near the boys, looking both tired, and furious. Heath sympathized. He felt the same, and he hadn’t been trapped in here with innocent kids to protect.
The boys peeked past the barricade, some of them stepping around it. One of them held a rabbit in his arms. A mountain lion stalked toward the destroyed windows, growling and sniffing the air.
“Talk about inspiration. Will I be able to do that someday?” Paul asked as he stared out the windows with an expression of awe.
Carl Washington was using air to force the water back where it belonged, and prevent the glass from causing injury. It was a very impressive sight. But he was in charge of elemental studies for a reason.
The tall, broad-shouldered black man had a commanding presence even when he wasn’t using his power.
Seeing him create a cyclone that encased the water, and move it with the ease of a musical conductor, was on a different level.
Shards of glass separated from the water, guided by gentler gusts of wind.
They landed gently on the cobbled path, where they could be swept up easily.
Carl was definitely giving all the elementals on campus something to aspire to. Dozens of students stared at him with a clear case of hero worship.
“It will be a while before we have an idea of your power ranking,” Clark said. “But yes, you may be able to do that, Paul.”
“I thought it was so badass to be a fire elemental, but watching this, I admit that I’m kind of jealous,” Brandon said.
Now that the danger was over, the two shifters who must have panicked, transitioned back to their human forms. The other boys helped collect the scattered bits of clothing so they could get dressed.
“Mr. Voudrie was awesome, too, the way he made all the desks fly together, creating a wall in like, two seconds,” Liam said. “I’m taking this as motivation to work hard, and control my power.”
“Yeah, that was awesome,” Steve agreed.
“Thanks,” Clark said distractedly. He was probably still thinking about the damage those ice spears could have done if no one had been able to stop them. “How are you feeling, Carlos?”
“Better, but I still have a headache,” he replied. The boy did look wan. “I couldn’t block the thoughts.”
Dean Stanhope arrived then, and conferred with Carl Washington briefly before entering the building to check on Clark and the students. He surveyed the wall of desks before asking for a status report.
“This was scary, but we’re ok, thanks to Professor Halston, Professor Washington, and whoever else was assisting,” Clark told the dean. “I am concerned for Carlos, who was overwhelmed by panicked thoughts. He has a headache.”
The dean sent Carlos to the infirmary with a junior caster who had been outside among the spectators. “He should be fine within a day or two,” Dean Stanhope said. “You did well, Mr. Voudrie.”
“Thank you, sir,” Clark said with what seemed to be automatic courtesy. He still appeared to be in a state of shock.
The boys agreed fervently, describing Clark’s quick thinking to the dean. All the department heads as well as several professors were on the lawn now, taking statements of witnesses. Jace and Ray were called to escort the boys to their dorms.
Jace looked on the verge of losing his temper when he saw the damage. Heath couldn’t blame him for that reaction. Ray was just astounded, staring at the destroyed windows with wide eyes.
“Holy crap! It’s a miracle everyone’s ok. I was working my shift in the library, and heard a ruckus. But none of us knew what was going on,” Ray said.
“Classes are canceled for the day for all underclassmen, and monitors are excused from their duties outside the dorms. Upperclassmen with information on the incident will also be excused from classes, and asked to report to Carl Washington. A campus-wide announcement will be made shortly,” Dean Stanhope said.
“Ray, Jace, I want the two of you to take charge of all the boys for now. Clark will check on Carlos, and get him back to the dorm later.”
Jace just nodded and grunted his agreement, jaw clenched with a vein in his left temple throbbing. Ray pasted a smile on his face, and turned to the boys.
“This is a perfect occasion for comfort food,” Ray announced with forced cheer. “Jace, how about we let the boys relax in the park behind the powered and caster dorms? We can do root beer floats and pizza, if that sounds good to everybody. Clark and Carlos can meet us there later.”
Heath didn’t like the fact that Ray cut corners. But at least the caster monitor was intelligent enough to know that the boys would recover from the shock faster together, and surrounded by nature. Favorite foods would help restore emotional security.
He also had to realize that Mitch hadn’t been called to assist for a reason. Since Ray and Jace would have temporary responsibility over the young elementals, it was logical to keep them out of the dorms, and avoid a potential confrontation with Mitch.
Jace looked at each of the boys and Clark before nodding again. Then, he glanced at Heath, making it clear that he wanted details when the kids weren’t around. Heath tipped his head briefly in acknowledgment.
“That’s a good idea, Ray,” Clark said. “I’ll see you guys later.”
The dean turned to Heath once the boys were out of hearing distance.
“Heath, could this have been a fluke? I don’t know how much you witnessed, but you must have formed an opinion,” Dean Stanhope said. “Carl told me you were running into the building when he arrived outside.”
“It wasn’t an accident, sir,” Heath said seriously.
“Carl also feels that this was a premeditated attack,” the dean said. “I would like to hear what brought you to that conclusion.”
Heath nodded before speaking, “The water began rising up out of the pond as I was walking past it. I cast two spells which should have worked if a student lost control. The water not only didn’t respond to my spells, but divided into several spirals that froze, and sped toward Clark Voudrie’s classroom.
That would indicate intent and planning from a high-ranking water elemental with years of training. But this is proof.”
Heath withdrew his wand, and summoned the pin and pitchfork. “The door was barred with these items, trapping Clark and his students in the room.”
Understandably, the dean and Clark were both very upset by that revelation. “Show me,” the dean ordered.
Heath nodded, and the three of them stepped into the hallway.
After closing the door, he used his wand to levitate the items back where he had found them, to prevent leaving fingerprints.
Mitch was probably smart enough to have worn gloves when he jammed the door.
But Heath wasn’t about to contaminate evidence.
Frowning with obvious concern, Dean Stanhope called security. He advised them to wear gloves, and that there was evidence in need of secure storage. Then, the dean called out to Carl Washington, who was still outside.
“Carl, I would like you as well as the junior and senior elemental prefects, to meet me in my office in two hours,” the dean said.
“Absolutely, Allen,” Carl said. “I’ll call the prefects now, and should have all the pertinent statements from witnesses by then. Shall I summon Mitch?”
“Not at the moment,” Dean Stanhope said in a heavy tone. “Please advise the prefects to exercise discretion in regard to this meeting. There will be plenty of talk circulating about this incident without providing further fodder for gossip.”
“I’ll see to it, sir,” Carl said.
“Clark, you’ll have a temporary classroom until the damages have been repaired,” the dean said. “My assistant will notify you of the room number by the end of the day.”
“I appreciate it, sir,” Clark said.
Heath was dismissed when security arrived. He walked back to his office, plagued with heavy thoughts.