CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

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"Fifty thousand years ago"—the chancellor's voice softens—"the Magick evolving on Earth began to resonate in perfect harmony with the magick of Atlantis, a planet from a parallel dimension

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"Fifty thousand years ago"—the chancellor's voice softens—"the Magick evolving on Earth began to resonate in perfect harmony with the magick of Atlantis, a planet from a parallel dimension. The resonance between the two worlds established an instant connection. Two worlds collided, twin planetary souls pulled across space and time to become one."

Vivian's moving her lips, reciting the story along with the chancellor, her eyes shining. The other kids around me are behaving in similar ways, like this is a beloved story they've heard many, many times before. Creepy.

"Magick flowed freely between the two worlds," the chancellor continues, "and the Atlanteans lived peacefully with humans for millennia. But as all things eventually must, those times came to an end. Magick is always evolving, and as the magick on Earth and Atlantis evolved, the two worlds began to sing dissonant songs. Though the earlier resonance had vanished, the planets remained connected. The dissonant frequencies began to trigger near-cataclysmic events. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, fires, and great floods swept across both Earth and Atlantis. All life faced extinction."

Vivian's shaking her head sadly, and I try to pretend I'm sad too.

The chancellor's voice rises. "The Atlanteans were forced to invent a permanent solution that could save both planets: a magickal shield called the Aegis. The Atlanteans used the Elements of Earth, Air, Water, and Fire to create it. With the addition of Aether, the fifth and most sacred Element, they ensured that the Aegis would endure for millennia."

Aether. I dart a glance at the banners on stage trying to work out which banner corresponds to each Element. I know green is for Gaia, Earth Magick... I don't remember seeing Aether listed as one of the "Houses" on the invitation letter, and there's no purple banner hanging over the bleachers, soooo... I'm gonna guess that one must be for Aether.

"But sealing all the stargates between Atlantis and Earth came at great cost." The chancellor's voice softens. "The pure-blooded Atlanteans returned to their home. And all who carried both Atlantean and human blood remained on Earth in order to guard and maintain the Aegis for all eternity. Though Atlantis remains connected to Earth, even today, none of us will ever again see our ancestors' home world. We are here—you are all here today—to honor our ancestors and continue serving their cause so that we may protect the Earth, Atlantis, and all beings on both planets from future cataclysmic events."

I'm not exactly sure what she means by resonance and dissonance and twin planetary souls, but strip away the flowery language, and I think this is pretty much the same story Chloe told me.

Atlantis bumped into Earth, stargates-slash-portals-slash-magickal-doorways opened up, Atlanteans and Earthers enjoyed some sexy times, chaos ensued, and now there's a barrier we have to maintain so we don't have an apocalypse.

Bam. Got it.

I glance at Vivian, but she seems totally entranced by the chancellor, like she's some kind of celebrity.

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